African boxthorn is a thorny shrub with red berries and purple flowers. It forms impenetrable thickets and is poisonous to people.
African boxthorn:
African boxthorn berries, leaves, stems and roots are toxic to humans. Symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties and unconsciousness. Eating plant parts will cause discomfort and irritation but is not usually life-threatening.
What to do if a person is poisoned:
African boxthorn is a woody, thorny shrub that can grow up to 5 m high and 3 m wide. Young plants grow quickly. Plants sometimes drop their leaves and appear dead during drought or in winter.
African boxthorn has an extensive, deep, branched taproot that will sucker and produce new growth when broken. Roots on seedlings grow rapidly allowing them to compete with other plants.
African boxthorn grows across NSW. It is most common on well drained soils of the western slopes and plains. It was brought to Australia from South Africa in the mid-1800s as a hedge plant. It has spread from around old homesteads and urban areas.
African boxthorn is drought tolerant and grows in temperate, subtropical and semi-arid regions. It can grow on all soil types, though it grows best on well-drained, sandier soils along dry creek beds. It can be found:
African boxthorn plants are at least two years old before they flower and produce fruit. Seeds can germinate at any time of the year if there is adequate moisture and warmth.
Seed is mainly spread by animals. Birds and foxes eat the fruit and spread the seed and plants are often found beneath bird perches such as trees, poles and powerlines. Seeds can also be spread in contaminated mud or agricultural produce.
The extensive, branched taproot will sucker and produce new growth if broken.
Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, Tasmania (2002). African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum), DPIWE Information sheet. Available at www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au
Parsons, W.T. and Cuthbertson, E.G. (2001). Noxious weeds of Australia, second edn, CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Melbourne.
Successful weed control requires follow up after the initial efforts. This means looking for and killing regrowth or new seedlings. Using a combination of control methods is usually more successful.
To tackle African boxthorn:
Vigorous native perennial pastures compete with African boxthorn. Establish pastures as soon as possible after weed removal. Consult an agronomist for advice on pasture establishment and management.
When: Year-round. It’s easier to get the roots out of the soil after rain when the soil is moist.
Follow-up: When regrowth appears and in autumn or when new seedlings appear.
Pushing out the plants is the cheapest way to control mature thickets. Remove as many of the roots as possible and burn. Removal of the roots is much easier and more effective when the soil is moist.
It is important to destroy all plant material after physical removal because:
An infestation might be valuable habitat for native fauna. In this case, use a staged control program. Gradually replace the African boxthorn with suitable native species.
When: After physical removal of plants.
Follow-up: When regrowth appears and in autumn or when new seedlings appear.
Deep rip the soil to bring remaining root fragments to the surface. Rake and burn the root pieces. Cultivation may cause deeper root fragments to shoot. Check and treat above ground regrowth.
Herbicides can make the plants lose their leaves and appear dead. New leaves appear and the plant begins to recover. This may happen several times before the plant dies.
When: Usually in spring, after rain when the plant is actively growing.
Follow-up: In autumn when new seedlings appear. Use other methods to control regrowth or wait until regrowth is over 50 cm high (approximately 18 months old) to repeat spraying.
Foliar spraying is the most common method of control. Spray the whole bush when the plant is actively growing. This will vary depending on the location and rainfall.
Do not spray during hot, dry periods or when the plant is stressed from drought, waterlogging, or cold. Foliar sprays are more effective when plants have more leaves.
For large bushes it is very costly and difficult to obtain good coverage with the herbicide. Consider bulldozing thickets of large bushes and spraying the regrowth.
When: Year-round
Follow-up: When regrowth appears and in autumn when new seedlings emerge.
Use basal barking in environmentally sensitive locations. It’s best for small bushes with stem diameters up to 5 cm. Cover the base of every stem to a height of 30 to 40 cm above the soil surface.
When: Year-round
Follow-up: When regrowth appears and in autumn when new seedlings emerge.
This technique is also appropriate for small infestations in environmentally sensitive locations. It’‘s best for large plants with stem diameters greater than 5 cm.
Cut each stem off 15 cm above the soil surface. Cover the cut surface with herbicide within 30 seconds. If herbicide is not applied immediately the plant will heal and the herbicide won't work.
When: Year-round
Follow-up: Revegetate when the residual period is over.
Take great care when using this technique. This method uses a residual herbicide that will remain active in the soil for some time. Many desirable trees e.g. eucalyptus, are susceptible to the residual herbicides. Do not use this method within a distance of at least twice the height of adjacent desirable trees or shrubs.
Apply the residual herbicide:
The residual effect may also control seedling regrowth for some time after application.
See Using herbicides for more information.
PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 1 part glyphosate to 1.5 parts water
Comments: Stem injection or stem scrape application
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: M, Inhibitors of EPSP synthase
Resistance risk: Moderate
2,4-D 300 g/L + Picloram 75 g/L
(Tordon® 75-D)
Rate: 1.3 L per 100 L of water
Comments: Handgun application for small bushes only. Spray soil to drip line. Thorough coverage is essential. Spray prior to budburst.
Withholding period: 1-8 weeks (see label).
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 0.7–1.0 L per 100 L
Comments: Handgun application, with low rate on young bushes, high water rate on mature bushes. Do not spray in hot dry summer periods.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: M, Inhibitors of EPSP synthase
Resistance risk: Moderate
Glyphosate 360 g/L
with Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: 10 g metsulfuron plus 1 litre glyphosate in 100 L of water
Comments: Always add non-ionic surfactant to the spray mix. Apply to actively growing weeds.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: M, Inhibitors of EPSP synthase
Resistance risk: Moderate
Picloram 44.7 g/kg + Aminopyralid 4.47 g/L
(Vigilant II ®)
Rate: Undiluted
Comments: Cut stump/stem injection application. Apply a 3–5 mm layer of gel for stems less than 20 mm. Apply 5 mm layer on stems above 20 mm .
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Tebuthiuron 200 g/kg
(Graslan®)
Rate: 2 g per m2
Comments: Hand application (granules). Estimate the area within 30 cm beyond the drip line of the target plant and calculate the amount of Graslan required. Do not apply near desirable trees.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: C, Inhibitors of photosynthesis at photosystem II (PS II inhibitors)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Triclopyr 240 g/L + Picloram 120 g/L
(Access™ )
Rate: 1.0 L per 60 L of diesel
Comments: Basal bark application up to 5 cm basal diameter. Cut stump application for over 5 cm diameter.
Withholding period: Nil
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Triclopyr 300 g/L + Picloram 100 g/L
(Grazon® DS)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Handgun application for when bushes have good leaf cover, growth and no leaf fall. Only apply to plants less than 2 m tall.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Triclopyr 600 g/L
(Garlon® 600)
Rate: 2.0 L per 60 L of diesel
Comments: Basal bark application up to 5 cm basal diameter. Cut stump application for over 5 cm diameter.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the 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 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. |
All of NSW |
Prohibition on dealings
Must not be imported into the State or sold |
Central Tablelands |
Regional Recommended Measure*
Land managers should mitigate the risk of new weeds being introduced to their land. Land managers should mitigate spread from their land. The plant should not be bought, sold, grown, carried or released into the environment. Protect primary production lands that are free of African boxthorn |
North West |
Regional Recommended Measure*
Land managers should mitigate the risk of new weeds being introduced to their land. Land managers should mitigate spread from their land. Land managers reduce impacts from the plant on priority assets. |
Western |
Regional Recommended Measure*
Land managers mitigate the risk of the plant spreading from their land. Land managers reduce impact of plant on priority assets (riparian areas and floodplains). |
*To see the Regional Strategic Weeds Management Plans containing demonstrated outcomes that fulfil the general biosecurity duty for this weed click here |
Reviewed 2020