Remove it: Moth vine, Araujia sericifera
Moth vine comes from South America. It has attractive white flowers that are followed by a fruit, which is often mistaken for a choko. The fruit has pale, dull green skin, which dries out and splits to reveal numerous seeds that are black with a tuft of white hairs 2-3cm long.
It is an invader of bushland as the seed is dispersed by wind and water. It climbs through vegetation and the heavy weight of fruiting vines can break limbs and bring down weaker shrubs and trees. Dense growth smothers smaller vegetation and impedes over-storey regeneration.
Removal: Where moth vine is climbing up through plants, remove any fruit, then cut the stem near the ground. Dig out the roots. Seedlings and small plants can be hand-pulled or dug out.
Warning: Moth vine’s latex can be irritating and allergenic. Always wear gloves.
Grow Me Instead
Wonga wonga vine, Pandorea pandorana. Vigorous Australian native twining plant. One colour form is ‘Snowbells’, which has white flowers.
Old man’s beard, Clematis aristata. A local native vine that flowers in spring, this species is most attractive with its masses of creamy white flowers.
Chinese star jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides. A hardy climber or ground cover plant with perfumed white flowers in spring. Apparently, it’s irritating, milky latex-like sap makes it resistant to the depredations of Australian possums.
