Weed WatchWeeds to watch out for in Far North Queensland

This brochure identifies just a small selection of weeds in Far North Queensland. Don’t be fooled - these plants all have the ability to invade natural

systems throughout FNQ!!

= Known weeds

Kudzu(Pueraria spp.)*

Thunbergia(Thunbergia spp.)*

Mikania(Mikania spp.)*

Koster’s Curse(Clidemia hirta)*

*photos courtesy of Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries

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Weeds incur a cost of over $4 billion each year to Australia’s agricultural industry alone.

Brillantaisia(Brillantaisia Lamium)*

Navua Sedge(Cyperus aromaticus)

Hiptage(Hiptage benghalensis)*

Coral Berry(Ardisia crenata)

Pond apple(Annona glabra)*

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Sadly many weeds threatening

Australia were deliberately

introduced as garden plants. They became

weeds by “escaping” from

the garden - usually through the dumping of garden waste…

Miconia (Miconia)*

Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala)

Hymenachne (Hymenachne amplexicaulis)

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Infestation of Kudzu (Kudzu spp.) in the CRC Area

• Weeds destroy habitat for native flora and fauna, reducing biodiversity

• Weeds incur large financial costs to all land managers

• Weeds can greatly increase fire threats • Weeds degrade farming land and can

poison stock• Weeds block waterways, can increase

flooding risks and damage infrastructure

Weeds can completely change an entire landscape!

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= Aquatic weeds

The majority of these water weeds have entered our

natural waterways

through people emptying their fish tanks into

nearby waterways…

Water lettuce(Pistia stratiotes)*

Hygrophila (Hygrophila costata)

Water Hyacinth(Eichhornia crassipes)*

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Salvinia (Salvinia spp.)

Water mimosa(Neptunia oleracea & N. plena)*

Limnocharis(Limnocharis flava)*

Cabomba (Cabomba spp.)*

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= Emerging weeds - garden escapees

Yellow Allamanda(Allamanda cathartica)

Black-eyed Susan(Thunbergia alata)*

Zebrina(Tradescantia pendula)

Mother in laws tongue(Sansevieria trifasciata)

Wandering Jew(Tradescantia spp.)

Golden dewdrops / Geisha Girl(Duranta spp.)

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Arrowhead Vine(Syngonium spp.)

Yellow Oleander(Thevetia peruviana)*

Chinese Violet(Asystasia gangetica)

Pagoda Flower(Clerodendrum paniculatum)Blue morning glory

(Ipomoea indica)

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STOP!! do not

- garden waste holds seeds and other plant

material that spreads weeds to environmentally sensitive areas. Just

because its biodegradable does not mean it is good for the environment!

Please dump your garden waste / green waste into

creeks, drains or any other areas

Shoe Button Ardisia(Ardisia elliptica)

Brazilian Red Cloak(Megaskepasma erythroclamus)

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Infestation of Curtain Creeper (Vernonia eleagnifolia) in the CRC Area

Weeds are not just a nightmare for gardeners, they are one of the most

serious economic and environmental issues land managers face in

Australia

They are the #1 threat to biodiversity!

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For more information on weeds, weed

identification, alternative locally endemic

native species to grow in your garden

and any other information, please call

Council's Pest Management Officer on

4044 3044, CVA on 4032 0844 or

Biosecurity Qld on 13 25 23.

Small steps can make a world of difference. Recycled paper.