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Invasiveness Assessment - Mirror-bush (Coprosma repens) in Victoria

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Plant invasiveness is determined by evaluating a plant’s biological and ecological characteristics against criteria that encompass establishment requirements, growth rate and competitive ability, methods of reproduction, and dispersal mechanisms.

Each characteristic, or criterion, is assessed against a list of intensity ratings. Depending upon information found, a rating of Low, Medium Low, Medium High or High is assigned to that criterion. Where no data is available to answer a criterion, a rating of medium (M) is applied. A description of the invasiveness criteria and intensity ratings used in this process can be viewed here.

The following table provides information on the invasiveness of Mirror-bush.

A more detailed description of the methodology of the Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method can be viewed below:

Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (PDF - 630 KB)
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (DOC - 1 MB)
To view the information PDF requires the use of a PDF reader. This can be installed for free from the Adobe website (external link).

Common Name: Mirror-bush
Scientific name: Coprosma repens

Question
Comments
Rating
Confidence
Establishment
Germination requirements?Germination increases after a period of stratification (Mackay et al 2002). ‘Propagate from seed in spring and semi ripe cuttings in summer (Burnie et al 1998)’. Natural seasonal disturbances appear to be required for germination.
MH
M
Establishment requirements?Found in both shade and full sun (Muyt 2001). Seedling survival is best in protected areas under other shrubs and where leaf litter accumulations are deeper (Blood 2001). Able to establish under a moderate canopy/ litter cover.
MH
MH
How much disturbance is required?Can establish in healthy natural ecosystems, such as heathland communities (Carr et al 1992).
H
MH
Growth/Competitive
Life form?Prostrate shrub to small tree to 8 m high (Campbell & Atkinson 2002, Harden 1991).
L
H
Allelopathic properties?No allelopathic properties found described.
L
M
Tolerates herb pressure?Tolerant of heavy clipping or pruning (PFAF 2001) and re-shoots vigorously from the base if top growth is damaged or removed (Muyt 2001). Described as one of the plants usually avoided by deer (SM growers 2001).
Likely to be consumed but not preferred, and recovers quickly.
M
Normal growth rate?Fast growing (Blood 2001).
H
MH
Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc?‘Tolerates sea and salt spray, strong wind, salt, exposed positions, drought, frost, fire and most soil types (Blood 2001)’. Tolerant of water logging, as occurs in permanent wetlands (Carr et al 1992).
H
MH
Reproduction
Reproductive system‘In exposed areas can become prostrate. In these situations and coastal dunes plants develop the ability to layer themselves, the branches touching the ground and rooting to form new plants (Blood 2001)’. Can reproduce via seed and vegetatively by layering (Campbell & Atkinson 2002).
H
H
Number of propagules produced?Fruiting is prolific on larger plants (Muyt 2001). ‘Many small seeds are produced in bright red berries (DPIWE 2001)’. As a shrub/ tree to 8 m (Blood 2001), it is assumed able to produce 2000+ seeds.
H
M
Propagule longevity?Not found described.
M
L
Reproductive period?As a long lived shrub/ tree (Blood 2001), with widespread medium to large populations (Carr et al 1992) capable of forming dense colonies (DPIWE 2001), it is likely to produce propagules for 10 + years or form self-sustaining monocultures.
H
MH
Time to reproductive maturity?Not found described.
M
L
Dispersal
Number of mechanisms?Seeds dispersed by birds (Fergusen and Drake 1999, Muyt 2001).
H
H
How far do they disperse?Eaten and dispersed by starlings (Fergusen and Drake 1999) which are documented as dispersing seeds up to 40 km (Spennemann & Allen 2000).
H
H


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