Galenia (Galenia pubescens)

Also known as: coastal galenia, carpet weed

Galenia is a creeping weed with small greyish green leaves. It forms dense mats that smother and outcompete other plants.

This plant should not be sold in parts of NSW

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How does this weed affect you?

Galenia:

forms thick, dense mats that smother existing vegetation
outcompetes native plants especially grasses and herbs
is poisonous to animals and people
taints the flavour of honey making it unsaleable.

Poisoning

Galenia can accumulate nitrates and soluble oxalates that can poison people and animals including livestock. This is more likely to occur when Galenia grows in fertile soils.

What does it look like?

Galenia is a creeping, perennial woody herb. It is 60 cm tall and 1–2 m wide.

Leaves are:

greyish green
covered in short white hairs on both sides
up to 35 mm long and 15 mm wide
oval to spoon-shaped with either rounded, or sharply pointed tips
slightly succulent
alternate along the stem.

Flowers are:

white or greenish white, sometimes with a pinkish tinge (yellow as they age)
hairy on the outside
4–6 mm wide with 5 small petals
located in the leaf fork
present late spring to early autumn, though maybe present all year round.

Fruit are:

capsules with up to 5 seeds
cup shaped with 5 angles
up to 3 mm long and about 1 mm wide.

Seeds are:

shiny and black
about 1 mm long
circular to kidney shaped.

Stems are:

greyish green
up to 1 m long
thick and woody when older
loosely covered in small white hairs.

Roots are:

up to 2 m deep with a large taproot.

Where is it found?

In NSW, Galenia is most common in the Hunter region. Scattered plants have also been found in the Greater Sydney, Central Tablelands, Central West, North West, North Coast, Riverina Murray and Western regions.

Galenia is native to South Africa. It was originally planted in Australia for erosion control at mining sites.

What type of environment does it grow in?

Galenia grows best in temperate climates with wet winters and long, dry summers. It can also grow in semi-arid and sub-tropical environments. It can grow in a variety of soil types from stony gravels through to sands and loams. It is salt and drought tolerant.

Galenia invades disturbed sites quickly but can also spread on undisturbed sites. It grows:

in coastal dunes
in pastures
along roadsides
along waterways
on rocky outcrops
in lawns.

Maps and records

Recorded presence of Galenia during property inspections (Map: Biosecurity Information System - Weeds, 2017-2026)
These records are made by authorised officers during property inspections under the Biosecurity Act 2015. Officers record the presence of priority weeds in their council area and provide this to the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Records reflect the presence of the weed on the date of inspection.

How does it spread?

By seed

Galenia reproduces by seed. Plants can start producing flowers within 2 months of sprouting. In dense infestations, over 100 000 seeds per m2 can be produced per year.

Seeds are spread:

in water
by animals including livestock
by movement of contaminated soil
on machinery including mowers and slashers
by people dumping garden waste including lawn clippings.

References

Cook, T. (2013). Recent advances in galenia control. Plant Protection Quarterly, 28(3), 92-96.

Identic Pty. Ltd. & Lucid (2016) Weeds of Australia, Fact Sheet Galenia pubescens (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Druce var. Pubescens. Retrieved 23 January 2026 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/galenia_pubescens_var._pubescens.htm

García-de-Lomas, J., Cozar, A., Dana, E. D., Hernández, I., Sánchez-García, Í., & García, C. M. (2010). Invasiveness of Galenia pubescens (Aizoaceae): A new threat to Mediterranean-climate coastal ecosystems. Acta Oecologica, 36(1), 39-45.

PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 23 January 2026 from: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Galenia~pubescens

Williams, M. C. (1979). Toxicological investigations on Galenia pubescens. Weed Science, 27(5), 506-508.

More information

Control

Prevention

Clean machinery and vehicles that have been in an infested area at a washdown station if possible.

Physical removal

By hand

Individual plants can be hand pulled or dug out. Remove the taproot to prevent regrowth.

By machine

Ploughing, chipping or grubbing can be used. Remove as much of the root as possible to prevent regrowth.

Removing large infestations can potentially leave significant areas of bare ground. Consider revegetating these areas following control.

Chemical control

Galenia may require repeated treatments. Always check controlled areas and re-treat as necessary.

Spraying

Spray actively growing plants, usually during spring and summer (check herbicide labels for time of year). Cover all the foliage with the herbicide mixture. Immature plants are easier to kill.

Herbicide options

WARNING - ALWAYS READ THE LABEL
Users of agricultural or veterinary chemical products must always read the label and any permit, before using the product, and strictly comply with the directions on the label and the conditions of any permit. Users are not absolved from compliance with the directions on the label or the conditions of the permit by reason of any statement made or not made in this information. To view permits or product labels go to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority website www.apvma.gov.au

See Using herbicides for more information.

Picloram 100 g/L + Triclopyr 300 g/L + Aminopyralid 8 g/L (Grazon® Extra)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Spray with a handgun. Use 200 L spray mixture per ha (i.e. 20 L/100 m2 infested area). Thoroughly cover all of the foliage to the point of run-off.
Withholding period: Where product is used to control woody weeds in pastures there is a restriction of 12 weeks for use of treated pastures for making hay and silage; using hay or other plant material for compost, mulch or mushroom substrate; or using animal waste from animals grazing on treated pastures for compost, mulching, or spreading on pasture/crops.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

Picloram 100 g/L + Triclopyr 300 g/L + Aminopyralid 8 g/L (Grazon® Extra)
Rate: 3 - 5 L/ha (Apply a minimum volume of 200 L of spray mixture/ha)
Comments: Boom spray fresh growth during spring to summer. Use the low rate for seedling weeds less than 50 cm after significant rain of 25 mm or more. When using the lower rate add Pulse ™ Penetrant at 100 mL/100 L for best control.
Withholding period: Where product is used to control woody weeds in pastures there is a restriction of 12 weeks for use of treated pastures for making hay and silage; using hay or other plant material for compost, mulch or mushroom substrate; or using animal waste from animals grazing on treated pastures for compost, mulching, or spreading on pasture/crops.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

Triclopyr 300 g/L + Picloram 100 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Spray all of the foliage to the point of run off. Fresh spring/summer growth. For a handgun use 2000 L mixture / ha (i.e. 20 L/ 100 m2). For knapsack use 2 L /10 m2.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

Triclopyr 300 g/L + Picloram 100 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 5 L/ha
Comments: Boom spray application (Apply a minimum volume of 200 L of spray mixture/ha).
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

Biosecurity duty

The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.

Area	Duty
All of NSW	General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Hunter An exclusion zone is established for all land in the region, except the core infestation which includes parts of: Lake Macquarie Local Government Area, Maitland Local Government Area, Muswellbrook Local Government Area, Newcastle Local Government Area, Singleton Local Government Area, Upper Hunter Local Government Area.	Regional Recommended Measure * (for Regional Priority - Containment) Entire Hunter Local Land Services region: Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Exclusion zone: Notify local control authority if found. Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. A person should not deal with the plant, where dealings include but are not limited to buying, selling, growing, moving, carrying or releasing the plant. Core infestation: Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land. A person should not buy, sell, move, carry or release the plant into the environment. Land managers should reduce the impact of the plant on assets of high economic, environmental and/or social value.
	*To see the Regional Strategic Weeds Management Plans containing demonstrated outcomes that fulfil the general biosecurity duty for this weed click here

For technical advice and assistance with identification please contact your local council weeds officer.

Reviewed 2026