Aussies called to action as council issues warning over 'aggressive' invasive weed

Singapore daisies are not as innocent as they sound, a Queensland council has warned. Source: Gympie Regional Council /Wendy Gibney/NSW DPI

A council has urged Aussies to take action and join the battle against a particularly “aggressive” invasive weed. Despite its enticing name and “harmless” appearance, the Singapore daisy is “no holiday", the Gympie Regional Council in Queensland reminded residents this week.

The creeper, which features bright yellow flowers, “spreads faster than airport gossip and strangles everything in its path, including your poor native plants”, it warned, urging homeowners who find it growing in their yards to “act now”.

The ornamental “takes over gardens” and “loves neglected areas”, the council explained. The species is found in coastal areas of northern and eastern Australia, but it is most common in southeastern Queensland — where it is regarded to be a significant environmental weed — and northeastern NSW.

In the Sunshine State, the Singapore daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata) is a category three restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014, and must not be given away, sold, or released into the environment. It is also a weed in NSW and is not allowed to be sold in parts of the state.

Singapore daisies spread rapidly and can strangle native plants. Source: Gympie Regional Council /Facebook

Gympie Regional Council said the species, which is featured on the IUCN's list of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species, is one of five weeds it’s targeting in its Winter Weeds campaign.

“Winter is prime time for targeted herbicide treatment, especially while soils are dry and the plant is still active,” it said.

Singapore daisies can be removed by hand, as long as all cuttings are burned or disposed of properly. Aussies should place waste in a plastic bag and then leave it in the sun for a few days before putting it in the rubbish bin. Certain herbicides can also be applied to destroy the plant.

Earlier this week, biosecurity authorities in Queensland revealed a “vigilant” council worker had stumbled upon a “significant" invasive weed and several other prohibited species in a homeowner’s garden.

A land protection officer for Bundaberg Regional Council was wandering near the property when they spotted three mature yellow fever trees — a potentially dangerous weed that is banned in the state over fears it could become a major pest.

A council worker was stunned to discover three mature yellow fever trees on a Bundaberg property. Source: Biosecurity Queensland/Facebook

The concerning sight prompted the council worker to alert authorities, and additional prohibited species were later located in the yard. In total, 31 problematic trees, along with thousands of seeds and seedlings, were removed and destroyed.

Yellow fever trees are native to southern and eastern Africa, but like most of Australia’s environmental weeds they were introduced to the country as ornamental plants. They can grow up to 25 metres tall and have a smooth bark coated in a greenish-yellow powder that can easily rub off. Its name is believed to reflect the bark and the plant’s tendency to grow in swampy areas of Africa, where malaria is common.

While yellow fever trees have been found in gardens around the country, the species doesn’t appear to have naturalised. However, due to concerns it could escape cultivation and spread, the Queensland government has deemed it a target for eradication.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo News Australia at https://au.news.yahoo.com/aussies-called-to-action-as-council-issues-warning-over-aggressive-invasive-weed-065418523.html

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