Under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 certain weeds are declared noxious. There are different classes of noxious weeds depending on how they impact on primary production and on whether they can be controlled. Some weeds are declared across the whole State but some are only declared within particular Council or County Council Areas. The noxious weeds declared for the Casltereagh Macquarie County Council area and their associated class can be found at http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/weeds/noxweed.
Important Weeds
The following is a list of the most important noxious weeds in the Castlereagh Macquarie County Council area. If click on a particular weed it will bring up a photo with a brief description
Lycium ferocissimum
African Box Thorn is a tall erect thorny perennial shrub, often impenetrable in thickets. Its branches are stout, sometimes drooping and end in a strong sharp spine.
Tamarix apylla
Athel Pine can affect pastoral country by forming dense stands along inland rivers. It has dull green leaves resembling needles.
Xanthium spinosum
Bathurst Burr is a robust summer growing plant usually found on creek beds, river flats or moist flood prone areas. It can invade pastures and cultivation and can grow to one metre in height.
Rubus fruticosus
Blackberry has invaded watercourses, roadways ,pastures, orchards and bush throughout Australia. It provides good harbour for feral animals if not controlled.
Asparagus asparagoides
Bridal Creeper is a major weed of native bushland. The foliage smothers surrounding plants and dense mats of tubers prevent root growth of other plants.
Nassella neesiana
Chilean Needle grass is closely related to serrated tussock. It is relatively unpalatable and reduces farm productivity
Opuntia stricta
Common Pear is a low growing green cactus up to 1.5 metres high and made up of flattened segments or pads 10-30 centimetres long and 7-20 centimetres across.
Sclerolaena birchii
Galvanised Burr is often the first plant to colonise at a site after drought or overstocking. Seeds are spread by livestock and vehicles.
Cuscuta campestris
Golden Dodder is an annual leafless flowering plant. It parasitises host plants by suckers called haustoria.
Cestrum parqui
Green Cestrum is a straggling perennial shrub2-3 metres high. It has one or more brittle stems. The leaves are green, up to 10 centimetres long and have a foul smell when crushed.
Harrisia sp
Harrisia Cactus is a succulent plant with joint branches that form tangled mats reaching up to 0.5 metres in height. Branches are fleshy and have longitudinal ribs with triangular humps at regular intervals.
Cylindropuntia rosea
Hudson Pear is a branched cactus which grows up to 1.5 metres high and 3 metres wide. It has pink flowers and a yellow spiny fruit. White spines up to 3.5cm in length cover the whole plant.
Sorghum halepense
Johnson Grass is a summer growing perennial sorghum up to 2 metres tall. It has long leaves with a prominent white mid rib and an open seed head.
Prosopis sp
Mesquite is a deciduous perennial shrub with some species growing to over 3 metres tall.
Xanthium occidentale
Noogoora Burr is a robust summer growing annual plant found in creek beds, river flats or moist flood prone areas.
Parkinsonia aculeata
Parkinsonia is a branched spreading shrub. It usually grows between 8 and 10 metres high. Young plants usually have single pale to dark green thorny stems which get darker as they get older.
Parthenium hysterophorus
Parthenium Weed grows up to 1.5 metres tall. It has creamy white flowers that grow in clusters, also deeply lobed pale green leaves which branch alternately on stems and are covered with soft fine hair.
Cryptostegia grandiflora
Rubber Vine is a vigorous climber with twining whip like shoots. It can grow 2 metres tall unsupported or up to 30 metres when it entwines around trees.
Solanum elaeagnifolium
Silverleaf Nightshade is a summer growing weed . It may be confused with other species but there are features which distinguish it from these plants.
Cenchrus incertus
Spiny Burr Grass is an erect and spreading annual grass growing up to 60 centimetres high. It forms a spike like panicle 3-8 centimetres long consisting of up to 40 spiny burrs.
Hypericum perforatum
St John’s Wort is a weed that spreads over long distances by humans, livestock, and feral animals. The plant contains a toxin which causes photosensitization in livestock.
Rosa rubiginosa
Sweet Briar Rose is an erect perennial shrub commonly growing 1.5 to 2.0 metres high. The stems are smooth when the plant is young but turn rough and woody in adult plants.
