Effective Caltrop (Puncture Vine) Removal - City of Stirling

Effective Caltrop
(Puncture Vine) Removal
Tools recommended for this process:
• Gloves
• Paint Roller or Sponge
• Disposal Bags (available from City of Stirling ‘Depot’,
16 Natalie Way Balcatta) or any other bag, which can be
disposed of in the City’s single recycling bins
• Ruler or other scraper to remove seed from your shoes
Step 1
Find the root/base of the plant;
gently lift up the plant using gloves
by pulling out the main tap root.
Step 2
Gently fold the caltrop and place in
to a bag, being careful not to drop
any thorns.
Step 3
Using a sponge roller or block of
foam, roll or pat the ground where
caltrop plant was growing and over
the loose thorns on the ground to
pick up all loose thorns.
Step 4
Carefully scrape all the thorns on
the sponge into the bag.

Step 5
Using a ruler or something similar to
remove and bag any loose thorns that
may have been picked up on the soles
of shoes so as to not further spread
the weed unintentionally.
Caltrop Identification
Caltrop is a mat-forming weed.
Its stems can be up to 1m long and spread out from a central crown with a deep taproot.
Leaves and stems have a silvery appearance, particularly on the underside of the leaves.
Caltrop has bright yellow flowers about 5-15mm across with 5 petals.
The seeds are 8-12mm wide and up to 8mm high, they are covered in short spines.