ORIGIN

Mexico

COMMON NAME

Mexican daisy

BOTANICAL NAME

Erigeron karvinskianus

IDENTIFICATION

Low growing herb. Lying flat along the ground to upright growth. Stems rigid, much branched and rooting Leaves at base of plant when flowering elliptic (widest in middle, rounded at both ends) and often 3-lobed. Flowers small daisies around 20 mm wide, usually white flushed with pink with a yellow centre, Sep-May. Also known as erigeron and Mexican flea bane. Flowers all year round in the North.

HABITATS

Banks or cliffs in waste places, forest margins, streamsides, shrubland. Garden escape.

IMPACT TO BIOTA AND ECOSYSTEMS

Thoroughly established in the wild. A garden escape. Impacts on open habitats such as banks or cliffs, forest margins and streamsides. Very widely cultivated and has been sold under E. mucronatus.

DISPERSAL ROUTES, VECTORS, INFESTATION SOURCES

Spreads from gardens. Wind dispersed seed.

MANAGEMENT

Physical Control
Hand pull very small infestations and revisit monthly.

Disposal

Chemical Control
Clopyraild mixed at 25 ml in 10 litres of water.

Glyphosate mixed at 100 ml in 10 litres of water.

Biological Control

Recommended Approach
Hand pull if frequent revisits can be made. Spray new infestations promptly. Clopyraild can be used under some circumstances if desirable plants are among the daisy.

FURTHER COMMENT

This plant is prohibited from propagation, sale and distribution within New Zealand!