Innocent weed - Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management ...

THE EYREPENINSULAREGION:Incorporating the 11local council areas ofthe Eyre Peninsula,including Whyalla,Ceduna and PortLincolnFor more informationon EPNRM, go towww.epnrm.sa.gov.au“Innocentweed is foundin isolatedpatches on theEyrePeninsula so itis importantthat it iscontrolled.”Innocent weed (Cenchrus longispinus)THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INNOCENT WEEDWhat do the plants look like? marketability. The plant can alsocause physical damage to people andInnocent weed is a summer growinglivestock thanks to its needle sharpannual grass, that grows on disturbedspines on its burrs. It can often besandy soils. Leaves are flat and lightfound around sand dunes, wheregreen which often makes it difficult tothere are shacks and people.distinguish it between other grasses. TheInnocent weed germinates in latebase of the stems are a reddish colourspring/early summer, just after rain.and are bent, giving the plant aspreading shape. The flowering head ofthe plant, up to 80cm tall, produces up to40 burrs. These burrs can either begreen, purple or straw coloured and arecovered with 40 or more 3-7 cm spineswith microscopic barbs. Each of theseburrs contains up to 4 seeds.Innocent weed loves to grow in sandy soil.Why should innocent weed becontrolled?Innocent weed is only found in isolatedpatches on the Eyre Peninsula so it isimportant that the spread is prevented. Itcan contaminate wool, crops andproduce, dramatically reducing value andThe burrs on Innocent weed plants areextremely sharp.What are my responsibilities?Innocent Weed is declared under theNatural Resources Management Act2004. That means it is illegal totransport or sell this plant and allproperty owners have a responsibility,under this Act, to control this specieson their property.1Continued over page…

CONTACT EPNRMWhyallaWhyalla City Council OfficeDarling Tce.WHYALLA SA 5600Tel: 8640 3481Cleve25 Fourth StreetCLEVE SA 5640Tel: 8628 2077Port LincolnLevel 1 - Jobomi House50 Liverpool StreetPORT LINCOLN SA 5606Tel: 8682 7555EllistonElliston Information CentreELLISTON SA 5670Tel: 8687 9275CedunaShop 7 - Surprys Mall35 Poynton StCEDUNA SA 5690Tel: 8625 3060WudinnaTelecentre44 Eyre HighwayWUDINNA SA 5652Tel: 8680 2901This plant is also classed as a notifiablespecies, which means that if it is foundon your property, your local NRM officehas to be notified. Residents who renttheir properties also have obligations tocontrol any weeds present. This alsoincludes anyone who is leasingproperty, unless other arrangementshave been made.What are the best ways tocontrol innocent weed?Once established, innocent weed isextremely difficult to control due to thefact that the plant can have multiplegerminations that coincide with summerrainfall events. For large infestationsgrazing heavily just before seed set canbe a management option, to reduce theseed bank. This option must be usedcarefully as excess grazing may causewind erosion.Innocent weed has purple colouration atthe base of the plant and on the burrheads.Physical removal: Small infestationscan be physically removed by cultivatingbefore the plant has set seed. The seedonly remains viable in the soil for about3 years so removing the plants beforeseed set provides the best chance ofcontrol. It is important when removingwhole plants by digging them out, thatthey are disposed of correctly, placed ingarbage bags and into the normal redlidded rubbish bin, for deep burial at thedump. It is important not to placeplants in the green waste bin.Chemical methods: A glyphosate basedproduct should be used before the plantsets seed, just before flowering. Otherregistered products for innocent weedcontrol include Paraquat, Fluazifop andalso a range of residual herbicides. Whenusing herbicides always ensure that theyare used according to label directions.Both physical and chemical methods canbe used as an integrated approach forinnocent weed control. Because this planthas fast successive germinations overthe summer period, it is important tomonitor areas where it has germinatedfor effective long term control. Preventionof infestation is always the best form ofcontrol.For more information on innocent weed, contact your localEPNRM office (see contact details this page).2