Remove flowering Pampas from kiwifruit orchards

The invasive South American plant, Pampas, is well-established in most regions where kiwifruit is grown. Pampas has now begun to flower and the seeds (more than 100,000 per flowerhead) will be dispersed by strong winds. Any Pampas growing in, or adjacent, to kiwifruit orchards can be a problem in that any seed attached to fruit is a reject factor, and may cause market access issues if found within a shipment or container.

If Pampas is established in your orchard or shelter belt, cut down and destroy the flowerheads now.

Pampas plants can be dug out or removed by a digger, or controlled with glyphosate herbicide. A surfactant/spreader needs to be added to the herbicide mixture. Do not attempt to spray Pampas in an orchard if fruit are still on vines.

Pampas (Cortaderia selloana or C. jubata) is different from the native toetoe (Cortaderia fulvida) in that Pampas grows faster and is an invasive plant; it flowers in autumn rather than spring; is more robust and upright; and produces a different shaped and larger flowerhead (cone-shaped rather than flag-like).

Contact John Mather at KVH at [email protected] if you would like any further information.