Environment Southland Urges Vigilance After New Old Man's Beard Infestation Found Near Dipton

Old Man's Beard is a deciduous vine that can reach up to 20 metres high and is distinguished by its fluffy, beard-like seed heads.

If left uncontrolled, it can smother and collapse trees, turning forests into an infestation of the pest.

Environment Southland team leader biosecurity plants Jolie Hazley says the latest discovery serves as an important reminder for Southlanders to regularly check their properties.

“This Old Man’s Beard find shows how important it is to keep an eye out for invasive pest plants," says Hazley.

Winter Is an Ideal Time to Spot Pest Plants

Hazley says winter is a good time for Southlanders to check their properties for pest plants, including German ivy and smilax.

“German ivy is already present in parts of Southland and is currently easier to spot because of its distinctive yellow flowers. We have a few small sites of Smilax in Southland that are under control but would like to find more as we are trying to eradicate both of these plants from Southland.

“The sooner people report suspected sightings, the better chance we have of protecting Southland’s precious native ecosystems,” Hazley says.

Early Reporting Is Critical

The Old Man’s Beard site near Dipton has been controlled with aerial spraying and will be revisited on the ground in the coming months.

If you think you may have seen any of these pests, contact Environment Southland on 0800 76 88 45 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Early reporting helps ensure the plant can be identified, managed effectively and prevented from spreading further.

Other resources to aid identification of these plants include the Environment Southland Pest Hub and the iNaturalist phone app.