Elephant ear vine

• Perennial woody vine climbing up to 10m high.
• Stems and leaf undersides have dense, white downy hairs.
• Leaves are large, heart-shaped, up to 30cm across.
• Flowers are pale pink/white, trumpet-shaped, with dark pink/violet centre 5cm in diameter.
• Berries are round, white.

• Prefers tropical and subtropical regions of Queensland.

• Found at numerous locations across coastal North and Central Queensland.

• Flowering occurs mainly during spring and summer.

Environmental

• Smothers trees, including rainforest and open eucalypt woodland.

• Berries are dispersed by fruit-eating birds.

• Find out how farmers can prevent weed spread.
• Find out how gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts can prevent weed spread.

Physical control

• Dig up isolated plants and small infestations, making sure to remove all roots and stem fragments.

Herbicide control

• No herbicide is currently registered in Queensland; however, an off-label use permit (Permit No. PER11463) allows use of various herbicides for control of environmental weeds in non-agricultural areas, bushland, forests, wetlands, and coastal and adjacent areas.

Read the elephant ear vine fact sheet (PDF, 1.1MB) for herbicide control and application rates.

Biological control

• No known biological control agents.

• Elephant ear vine is a category 3 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
• You must not give away, sell or release into the environment. Penalties may apply.
• You must take all reasonable and practical measures to minimise the biosecurity risks associated with dealing with alligator weed under your control. This is called a general biosecurity obligation (GBO).
• At a local level, each local government agency must have a biosecurity plan that covers invasive plants in its area. This plan may include actions to be taken on elephant ear vine. Some of these actions may be required under local laws. Contact your local council for more information.