While its common name may make it sound friendly, unfortunately African love grass isn’t very loving to Otago’s bare and disturbed land which it can invade very fast. Once it has invaded, it forms thick stands (groups of plants) and suppresses other herbaceous plants (a plant that doesn’t have much wood). It produces lots of seeds, sheep don’t like to eat it and it’s difficult to spot.

Seeds are dispersed by wind, water and human-mediated activity through contamination of vehicles, livestock and clothing. 

There are 20 known African love grass sites across Otago.

• Size: African love grass forms clumps of grass up to 1.5m tall. 
• Leaves: It is thickly tufted with thin leaves (harsh to touch) that are usually curly at the tips. 
• The leaves are bright green to blue-green (leaves turn bronze-red after a hard frost). Leaf sides roll inwards and are usually hairless. 
• Flowers: The flower heads (panicles) are pyramid shaped with small, white flowers. Its blackish, olive purple seeds are attached to arching stems that are over 1m long.
• Root system: It has threadlike roots that can grow down to 50cm deep. 
• Habitat: Includes open areas, shrubland, grassland, coastal areas, cliffs, riparian margins, gravel beds, wasteland, and roadsides.

African love grass is most visible when the seedheads ripen in summer. 

To reduce the spread of African love grass known sites in Otago and minimise or prevent negative effects on economic well-being and the environment, African love grass is in the progressive containment programme of the Otago Regional Pest Management Plan (2019-2029).

African love grass is declared an Unwanted Organism in the National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA). This means it cannot be sold or be in a place where plants are being sold. It cannot be propagated, bred, multiplied, communicated, released, caused to be released, or otherwise spread.