Mikania vine

• Mikania is a multi-stemmed perennial vine.
• Leaves are heart-shaped, 4–13cm long, tapered to an acute point, and arranged in opposite pairs along the stem.
• Stems are slender and ribbed, with fine white hairs.
• Leaf stalks range between 2cm and 8cm long.
• Flower heads contain clusters of white flowers and are 4–6mm long.
• Seeds are black, 1.5–2mm long, thin and 5-angled, and each seed has a pappus.

• Humid environments where rainfall exceeds 1,000mm per year
• Rich, damp soils

• Visit the Weeds Australia website and click on the distribution tab to access the distribution map.

• Predominantly flowers in May and occasionally in October.

Environmental

• Spreads rapidly and smothers native vegetation.
• Grows rapidly during the monsoonal period with observations of up to 9cm per day under ideal conditions.
• Threatens World Heritage areas (rainforests) in North Queensland.

Economic

• Invades plantation and agricultural crops, and commercial forests in other countries.

• Mikania vine reproduces by seed and vegetatively.
• A stem fragment with a single node can readily produce roots in moist soil.
• Each plant produces about 40,000 seeds per year. These can be readily transported by wind or water.
• Seed movement also occurs by machinery, animals or contaminated domestic garden or agricultural products.
• Stem fragments are easily transported along watercourses and by people moving machinery.

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

Contact us online, by phone or in person if you find a plant you suspect may be mikania vine. We will provide advice on control options.

Biological control

A biological control agent (rust) has been tested and approved for release in Australia but has not yet been released.

• Mikania vine is a category 2, 3, 4 and 5 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
• You must not keep, move, give away or sell mikania vine, or release it into the environment. Penalties may apply.
• You must report all sightings within 24 hours.
• You must take all reasonable and practical measures under your control to minimise the biosecurity risks associated with dealing with mikania vine. This is called your general biosecurity obligation (GBO).
• Each local government must have a biosecurity plan that covers invasive plants in its area. This plan may include actions to be taken on mikania vine. Some of these actions may be required under local laws. Contact your local government for more information.