Gorse
| Botanical Name | Ulex europaeus |
|---|---|
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Origin | W. Europe to Italy |
Identification
Shrub, to 3 m high, densely branched in younger parts, eventually bare at base. Spiny. Leaves very prickly, yellow flowers (Jan)-May-Nov-(Dec).Habitats
Common in disturbed areas. Grassland, shrubland, forest margins, coastal habitats and waste places. Locally abundant and widespread.Impact to Biota and Ecosystems
Agricultural pest plant that may be useful as a nursery crop, where mature gorse plants allow light through to native seedlings which will eventually grow to dominate the gorse.Dispersal Routes, Vectors, Infestation Sources
Long-lived seed. Originally planted as a hedging plant. Burning gorse provides an ideal seed bed.Management
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Management |
|
| Physical Control |
Dig out or rotary slash. |
| Disposal |
Burn pulled material or leave on ground. |
| Chemical Control |
Exclude stock from area to be sprayed. Hard grazed gorse or recently slashed gorse is difficult to control because of lack of foliage available to take up the herbicide. Active growth is more susceptible to spraying. Spray from Nov-Feb for the most reliable results. Spray coverage must be complete to point of run-off on both leaves and stems. Graze regrowth if appropriate. For further information and more detailed chemical control methods please refer to Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Fact Sheet on Gorse. |
|
Biological Control |
Several insect have been introduced to attack Gorse, all are native of Europe. Gorse seed weevil (Exapion ulicis) first imported in 1926 and are now abundant in most areas. Gorse soft shoot moth (Agonopterix ulicetella) first imported in 1983 Gorse spider mites (Tetranychus lintearius) first imported in 1988 Gorse thrips (Sericothrips staphylinus) first imported in 1989 Gorse pod moth (Cydis ulicetana) first imported in 1989 Gorse colonial hard shoot moth (Pempelia genistella) first imported in 1995 Two native insects that attack gorse are Gorse stem miner (Anisoplaca ptyoptera) and Lemon tree borer (Oemona hirta) |
| Recommended Approach |
This plant is prohibited from propagation, sale and distribution within the Bay of Plenty! |