Pampas lily of the valley (Salpichroa origanifolia)

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Pampas lily of the valley is a low sprawling plant or vine with tiny white or cream flowers. It can smother and outcompete native plants and horticultural crops.

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How does this weed affect you?

Pampas lily of the valley:

competes with horticultural plants including fruit trees, vegetables and flowers
smothers garden plants
outcompetes native plants
can compete with crops and contaminate seed.

What does it look like?

Pampas lily of the valley is a perennial, low sprawling herb or vine covered in fine hairs.

Leaves are:

oval or diamond shaped
5-50 mm long and 5-35 mm wide
smooth edged
covered in fine hairs
often in pairs, unequal in size
on stalks 5–30 mm long.

Flowers are:

white or cream
6-10 mm long
tubular with 5 tiny, triangular, curved lobes at the end
singular or in pairs and hang down from the stems
present spring to autumn.

Fruit are:

berries
white to pale yellow and translucent
13–18 mm long and 7–8 mm wide
cone-shaped with the wider part near the stem.

Seeds are:

brown to pale yellow
rounded and flat
2 mm in diameter.

Stems are:

trailing or scrambling, often over other plants or fences
up to 3 m long
covered in fine hairs
square in cross section on older plants.

Roots are:

woody and extensive
up to 1 m deep.

Similar species

Pampas lily looks similar to lily of the valley (Convallaria magalis), which does not have rhizomes, has larger leaves and red berries.

Where is it found?

In NSW, Pampas lily of the valley grows in Greater Sydney, Central West and Central Tablelands regions. It has been found scattered in other regions.

Pampas lily of the valley is native to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

What type of environment does it grow in?

Pampas lily of the valley grows in temperate and semi-arid climates. It is occasionally found in subtropical areas. Most plants grow in sandy alkaline soils. Plants grow in urban bushlands and disturbed sites such as roadsides.

How does it spread?

By seed

Seeds are spread:

by birds and other animals including rats and ants
by sticking to clothing
in mud attached to vehicles and machinery

By plant parts

Plants can regrow from rhizomes which are spread by:

cultivation equipment
road graders
people dumping garden waste.

References

Identic Pty Ltd. and Lucid. (2016). Environmental Weeds of Australia Fact sheet: Solanum torvum Sw. Retrieved 5 December 2024 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/salpichroa_origanifolia.htm

Parsons, W.T., & Cuthbertson, E. G. (2001). Noxious weeds of Australia. CSIRO publishing.

PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 5 December 2025 from https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Salpichroa~origanifolia

Richardson, F. J., Richardson, R. G., & Shepherd, R. C. H. (2011). Weeds of the south-east: an identification guide for Australia (No. Ed. 3). CSIRO.

More information

PlantNET NSW FloraOnline, Salpichroa origanifolia. Royal Botanical Gardens and Domain Trust.

Control

Successful weed control relies on follow up after the initial efforts. This means looking for and killing regrowth or new seedlings. Using a combination of control methods is usually more successful.

Pampas lily-of-the valley is difficult to control because of its extensive network of roots. Plants can regrow after damage to the above ground plant or after extended dry periods.

Physical removal

For smaller infestations dig out the plants ensuring all of the roots are removed. Collect the fruit and dispose of the plants

Disposal

Contact your local council for advice on how to dispose pampas lily of the valley.

Chemical control

Spot spraying

Spray actively growing plants. Cover all of the foliage evenly.

Splatter gun

Splatter-guns use small amounts of concentrated herbicide. They spray large droplets that limit spray drift. They are useful for very dense infestations of weeds that are difficult to reach.

Cut scrape and paint

Lightly scrape the stem and paint the exposed area with concentrated herbicide within 15 seconds. Do not ringbark the stem.

Weed wipers

Wipers or wands apply herbicide directly onto leaves. This can better target the chemical and minimise damage to other species.

Herbicide options

WARNING - ALWAYS READ THE LABEL
Users of agricultural or veterinary chemical products must always read the label and any permit, before using the product, and strictly comply with the directions on the label and the conditions of any permit. Users are not absolved from compliance with the directions on the label or the conditions of the permit by reason of any statement made or not made in this information. To view permits or product labels go to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority website www.apvma.gov.au

See Using herbicides for more information.

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Fluroxypyr 200 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 500 mL to 1 L per 100 L water
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Do not graze failed crops and treated pastures or cut for stock feed for 7 days after application. See label for further information.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Fluroxypyr 333 g/L (Starane™ Advanced)
Rate: 300 to 600 mL per 100 L water
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Do not graze failed crops and treated pastures or cut for stock food for 7 days after application. See label for more information.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: One part product to 50 parts water
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: One part product to 1.5 parts water
Comments: Cut scrape and paint
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: One part product to 9 parts water
Comments: Splatter gun
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: 10 - 20 g per 100 L water plus surfactant
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Nil (recommended not to graze for 7 days before treatment and for 7 days after treatment to allow adequate chemical uptake in target weeds).
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors)
Resistance risk: High

Biosecurity duty

The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.

Area	Duty
All of NSW	General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable.

For technical advice and assistance with identification please contact your local council weeds officer.

Reviewed 2025