Banana passion vine

(Passiflora mollissima/mixta)

Progressive Control Pest 

Banana Passion Vine is a large vigorous, scrambling, evergreen climbing vine with clinging tendrils, capable of climbing to 10 metres high or higher. The flowers are pink and up to 7 centimetres in diameter, appearing in December. The fruit are yellow when ripe, up to 12 centimetres long, cylindrical with a sweet-flavoured orange pulp containing seeds.

Reasons for the Strategy

Banana Passion Vine smothers native trees and shrubs on forest margins and adjoining light wells; it can topple shallowrooted trees and its dense vegetation prevents natural regeneration. Viable seed is produced within two years and this is distributed by birds, possums and pigs. It has the potential to invade much of the lowland area and represents a significant threat to indigenous biodiversity in Golden Bay.

Banana Passion Vine is assessed at “4” in Golden Bay on the infestation curve. Given the limited distribution of Banana Passion Vine and the enthusiasm of many Golden Bay land occupiers for its inclusion in the Strategy, an operational plan will be developed by the Management Agency with input from an independent expert and from landowners. Outside Golden Bay, investment in biological controls and promoting the voluntary control of Banana Passion Vine will provide benefits that outweigh the costs.

Objective

To reduce the distribution and density of Banana Passion Vine in Golden Bay during the term of the Strategy.

Alternative Measures

The option of “do nothing” or relying on voluntary control will not achieve the objective of reducing the density and distribution of Banana Passion Vine in Golden Bay, and will result in significant loss of indigenous biodiversity and increased costs of control in the future. Boundary control is not an option with the seed distribution that follows from consumption of the fruit by birds, possums and pigs. Outside of Golden Bay, requiring the occupier to undertake some form of control is considered to be too onerous and expensive, given its widespread distribution and the impact of the plant compared to other environmental pests.

Strategy Rule for Banana Passion Vine

The occupier shall destroy all adult and juvenile forms of Banana Passion Vine on land in Golden Bay that they occupy. A breach of Strategy Rule 5.1.5 is an offence under Section 154® of the Biosecurity Act 1993.

Biosecurity Act Requirement

No person shall knowingly sell, propagate, breed, release or display commercially, Banana Passion Vine, under Sections 52 and 53 of the Act.