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 and land owners have a legal responsibility to manage these plants.
The Landscape South Australia Act 2019 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
- notifying authorities when an infestation is detected.
For more information visit the PIRSA Weeds in South Australia web page.
For more information about priority pest plant species within the Murraylands and Riverland region, refer to the 2021-26 Pest Plant Action Plan Summary.
Weeds in the Murraylands and Riverland region:
Priority weed species
Common name: African boxthorn
Scientific name: Lycium ferocissimum
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: African lovegrass
Scientific name: Eragrostis curvula
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: African rue
Scientific name: Peganum harmala
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Must notify the landscape board if found in the Murraylands and Riverland region
Related links:
Common name: Bathurst burr
Scientific name: Xanthium spinosum
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: Boneseed
Scientific name: Chrysanthemoides monilifera
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: Bridal creeper
Scientific name: Asparagus asparagoides and Asparagus declinatus
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: Bridal veil
Scientific name: Asparagus declinatus
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Common name: Branched broomrape
Scientific name: Orobanche spp
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: Buffel grass
Scientific name: Cenchrus ciliaris
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Must notify the landscape board immediately if found
Related links:
Common name: Caltrop
Scientific name: Tribulus terrestris
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: Coolatai grass
Scientific name: Hyparrhenia hirta
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Must notify the landscape board immediately if found
Related links:
Common name: Golden dodder
Scientific name: Cuscuta campestris
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Must notify the landscape board immediately if found
Related links:
Common name: Feathertop rhodes
Scientific name: Chloris virgata
Status: Not listed: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Common name: Fountain grass
Scientific name: Cenchrus longisetus
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Common name: Hudson pear
Scientific name: Cylindropuntia pallid, C. truncata
Status: Declared: must be destroyed, banned from sale and movement
Common name: Innocent weed
Scientific name: Cenchrus incertus
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Must notify the landscape board immediately if found
Related links:
Common name: Khaki weed
Scientific name: Alternanthera pungens
Status: Declared: must be destroyed, banned from sale and movement
Must notify the landscape board immediately if foundRelated links:
Common name: Noogoora burr
Scientific name: Xanthium strumarium sp. agg.
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned for sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: Olives (wild)
Scientific name: Olea europaea
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Common name: Pampas grass
Scientific name: Cortaderia jubata or Cortaderia selloana
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Common name: Prickly pear
Scientific name: Opuntia spp. except O. ficus-indica
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned for sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: Silverleaf nightshade
Scientific name: Solanum elaeagnifolium
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned for sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: Spiny rush
Scientific name: Juncus acutus
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Common name: Three-corner Jack
Scientific name: Emex australis
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Common name: Yellow water lily
Scientific name: Nymphaea Mexicana
Status: Declared: must be controlled, banned from sale and movement
Alert weeds
Common name: Alkali sida
Scientific name: Malvella leprosa
Status: State Alert: must be destroyed, banned from sale and movement
Must notify the landscape board immediately if found
Common name: Chilean needle grass
Scientific name: Nasella neesiana
Status: State Alert: must be destroyed, banned from sale and movement
Related links:
Common name: Salvinia
Scientific name: Salvinia molesta
Status: State Alert: must be destroyed, banned from sale and movement
Must notify the landscape board immediately if found
Common name: Texas needle grass
Scientific name: Nassella leucotricha
Status: State Alert: must be destroyed, banned from sale and movementMust notify the landscape board immediately if found
Related links:
Common name: Water hyacinth
Scientific name: Eichhornia crassipes
Status: State Alert: must be destroyed, banned from sale and movementMust notify the landscape board immediately if found
Related links:
Low priority weed species
Common name: Athel pine
Scientific name: Tamarix aphylla
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Common name: Blackberry
Scientific name: Rubus fruticosus
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Common name: Bladder campion
Scientific name: Silene vulgaris
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Calomba daisy
Scientific name: Oncosiphon suffruticosum
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Creeping knapweed
Scientific name: Acroptilon repens
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Cutleaf mignonette
Scientific name: Reseda lutea
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Dog rose
Scientific name: Rose canina
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: False caper
Scientific name: Euphorbia terracina
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Common name: Gazania
Scientific name: Gazania spp.
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Common name: Giant reed
Scientific name: Arando donax
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Common name: Gorse
Scientific name: Ulex europaeus
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Hoary cress
Scientific name: Cardaria draba
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Horehound
Scientific name: Marrubium vulgare
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Common name: Italian buckthorn
Scientific name: Rhamnus alaternus
Status: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Common name: Lincoln weed
Scientific name: Diplotaxis tenuifolia
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: One-leaf cape tulip
Scientific name: Moraea flaccid
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Poison buttercup
Scientific name: Ranunculus sceleratus
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Salvation Jane
Scientific name: Echium plantagineum
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Skeleton weed
Scientific name: Chondrilla juncea
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: Two-leaf cape tulip
Scientific name: Moraea miniata
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale
Related links:
Common name: White weeping broom
Scientific name: Retama raetam
Status: Declared: landscape board may require landholders to control, banned from sale