Pest plants
Pest plants must be managed because they can have significant impacts on industries and the environment.
Declared pest plants
Pest plants that are a significant threat to agriculture, the natural environment and public health and safety are called declared plants. Our Pest Plant and Animal Control Policy provides guidance to land managers, our staff and other relevant stakeholders in regard to their responsibilities for pest animal and plant control under the Landscape South Australia Act, 2019. The Act sets out the legal framework for:
- banning the sale of declared weeds
- controlling the movement of declared weeds
- destroying or controlling infestations of declared weeds and
- notifying authorities when an infestation is detected.
More information can also be found on PIRSA's Biosecurity pages.
All landowners have a responsibility to control declared plants on their property. Our staff can provide advice on control and management. Find your closest landscape board office. Fact sheets on this page also detail control options.
Control activities
We undertake a range of regular pest plant control activities. To see what we have been doing lately, subscribe to our quarterly newsletter which provides updates on these activities, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
Priority weeds in the Eyre Peninsula region
The weeds that are a priority for us are listed below, in order of priority and includes the action we are focusing on for each species. Given the significant size of the Eyre Peninsula, some species may have different management actions at our district levels (Eastern, Southern & Western) due to their current distribution, potential impacts and feasibility of control.
Common name: Buffel grass
Scientific name: Cenchrus ciliaris
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: ERADICATE
Related links:
Common name: African lovegrass
Scientific name: Eragrostis curvula
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale.
Action: DESTROY
Related links:
- African lovegrass fact sheet
- Eyre Peninsula African lovegrass Management Plan
- Recognising African lovegrass (YouTube video from a former SA NRM Board)
Common name: Bridal veil
Scientific name: Asparagus declinatus
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: CONTAIN
Related links:
Common name: Boneseed
Scientific name: Chrysanthemoides monilifera
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: CONTAIN
Related links:
Common name: Fountain Grass
Scientific name: Pennisetum setaceum
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: CONTAIN
Related links:
Common name: Opuntioid cacti, Prickly Pear
Scientific name: Opuntia sp.
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: CONTAIN
Related links:
- Opuntia cacti fact sheet
- Recognising and containing Opuntia cacti (YouTube video from a former SA NRM Board)
Common name: Carrion flower
Scientific name: Orbea variegata
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: CONTAIN
Related links:
Common name: Khaki weed
Scientific name: Alternanthera pungens
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: CONTAIN
Related links:
Common name: Silverleaf nightshade
Scientific name: Solanum elaeagnifolium
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: PROTECT SITES
Related links:
Common name: Gorse
Scientific name: Ulex europaeus
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: PROTECT SITES
Related links:
Common name: Gazania
Scientific name: Gazania sp.
Status: Invasive coastal weed
Action: MANAGE SPECIES
Related links:
Common name: African boxthorn
Scientific name: Lycium ferocissimum
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale.
Action: MANAGE SPECIES
Related links:
Common name: Aleppo pine
Scientific name: Pinus halepensis
Status: Declared - must be controlled, banned from sale
Action: MANAGE SPECIES
Related links:
Common name: Wild olive
Scientific name: Olea europaea
Status: Declared - must be controlled (only applies to plants not planted or maintained for domestic and commercial purposes).
Action: MANAGE SITES
Related links:
While the above 16 weeds are those we are focusing on, there are other species that landholders may find that need to be controlled including:
- Caltrop. See our Caltrop fact sheet for more information including control options.
- Blackberry
- Bathurst Burr
- Bridal Creeper
- Horehound
- Three corner jack
- Innocent weed
- Lincoln weed
- Skeleton weed
- Bifora
- Creeping knapweed
- Cutleaf mignonette
- Yellow burrweed
- Bladder campion
- Salvation Jane
- Three-horned bedstraw
- Dog rose
- False caper
See the Department of Primary Industries and Region's controlling declared weeds in SA page for more information about weeds in South Australia.