Boneseed is a woody shrub with bright yellow daisy flowers. It is an environmental weed that outcompetes native plants and reduces food and habitat for native animals.
Boneseed is an environmental weed that:
Boneseed is an erect, woody, perennial shrub which grows up to 3 m high.
Boneseed looks like bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. rotundata) which is also a weed. You can tell them apart by the leaves, seeds and flowers. Bitou bush is usually shorter or more prostrate and has:
The seedlings look similar to native boobialla (Myoporum insulare). The main difference is that boobialla doesn’t have white hairs on the leaves like boneseed.
Boneseed grows throughout southern Australia. Boneseed has been found in most local government areas in the Greater Sydney region. There are also many infested sites in the South East region. There are scattered or isolated infestations in the Hunter, Murray, Riverina and Western regions
It is native to South Africa.
It was first recorded in Australian gardens in the mid 1800s and later planted to stabilise dunes, subsequently becoming a serious coastal weed.
Boneseed prefers regions with winter rainfall and grows best on sandy or medium-textured soils. It tolerates salty conditions and can thrive on the coast but does not tolerate water-logged soils.
Boneseed can grow in a range of habitats including:
It is not usually a problem on agricultural land because it is easily suppressed by grazing and cultivation.
Boneseed plants can produce up to 50 000 seeds/year. Most seeds are not viable after 3 years but some can remain viable for up to 10 years.
The fleshy fruit are eaten by animals especially birds. The seed can remain viable after passing through the gut and being excreted.
Seeds is also spread:
Brougham KJ, Cherry H & Downey PO (eds) (2006). Boneseed Management Manual: current management and control options for boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera) in Australia, Department of Environment and Conservation NSW, Sydney.
CRC for Australian Weed Management (2003) Weed Management Guide – Boneseed Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. Monilifera.
Lamp, C., & Collet, F. (1989). Field guide to weeds in Australia (No. 1 Ed. 3). Inkata Press.
PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 21 February 2021 from: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=in&name=Chrysanthemoides~monilifera~subsp.+monilifera
Parsons, W.T., & Cuthbertson, E. G. (2001). Noxious weeds of Australia. CSIRO publishing.
Richardson, F. J., Richardson, R. G., & Shepherd, R. C. H. (2011). Weeds of the south-east: an identification guide for Australia (No. Ed. 3). CSIRO.
Your local council weeds officer will assist with identification and information on control, removal and eradication of this weed. Infestations can be spread by inappropriate control activities.
To manage boneseed:
Small plants and seedlings are easy to pull out because of the shallow roots and the plants preference for sandy soils. If the plants are fruiting, dispose of them by fire or bagging the seeds. Contact your local council for disposal options.
Tractors or excavators fitted with claw attachments can remove whole plants from the ground. This method is best suited to when plants don’t have fruit and are not in native vegetation.
Boneseed is palatable to livestock, especially sheep. Grazing can prevent fruiting and sometimes kill plants. Cattle can damage plants by trampling but they do not eat the leaves as readily as sheep.
Ensure that boneseed is not in fruit if using grazing to control boneseed. If livestock do eat fruiting plants, keep them in a holding paddock that can be checked for boneseed seedlings before moving them to areas that don’t have boneseed
Slashing is best done before plants have fruit . Plants will reshoot so follow up with other control methods will be required.
Fire can kill boneseed plants but it also stimulates seed germination so follow up control will be required.
Cover all of the foliage with herbicide. Check the label for control of plants with different heights.
Apply herbicide mixed with diesel to cover the lower stem, all the way around.
Splatter-guns use small amounts of concentrated herbicide. They spray large droplets that limit spray drift. They are useful for very dense infestations of weeds that are difficult to reach.
Cut trunks or stems and apply herbicide to the stump within 15 seconds.
Drill or make cuts into the sapwood and fill with herbicide within 15 seconds.
See Using herbicides for more information.
PERMIT 12251 Expires 31/03/2026
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 2 L /ha
Comments: Aerial boom spray applications. Refer to the critical use comments in the permit.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate
PERMIT 12251 Expires 31/03/2026
Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg
(Various products)
Rate: 20–30g /ha
Comments: Aerial boom spray applications. Refer to the critical use comments in the permit.
Withholding period: Nil (recommended not to graze for 7 days before treatment and for 7 days after treatment to allow adequate chemical uptake in target weeds).
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors)
Resistance risk: High
2,4-D 300 g/L + Picloram 75 g/L
(Tordon® 75-D)
Rate: 650 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Spray to wet all foliage thoroughly. Treat at flowering to fruiting stage.
Withholding period: Do not graze or cut crops (except sugar cane 8 weeks) or pastures for stock food for 7 days after application.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 5 or 10 mL per 1 L of water
Comments: Handgun or knapsack. Spray to wet all foliage. Apply at peak flowering to actively growing bushes during winter. Do not apply during periods of drought stress. Use the higher rate for plants over 1.5 m.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 1 part per 29 parts water or 1 part per 19 parts water
Comments: Gas gun / Splatter gun application. Use the higher rate on bushes over 1.5 m
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Metsulfuron-methyl 300 g/kg + Aminopyralid 375 g/kg
(Stinger™)
Rate: 20 g per 100 L of water (always add a Wetter 100 mL/100L)
Comments: Spray to thoroughly wet all foliage. Adjuvant: Wetter 1000g/L non-ionic alcohol alkoxylate (TITAN WETTER 1000 or BS1000 or equivalent).
Withholding period: Pastures - Grazing for meat production or cutting for animal feed: Do not graze for 56 days after application. See label for further details
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors) + 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: High/Moderate
Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg
(Various products)
Rate: 1 g/L + organosilicone penetrant
Comments: Gas gun / Splatter gun application. Apply as close as possible to the flowering stage.
Withholding period: Nil (recommended not to graze for 7 days before treatment and for 7 days after treatment to allow adequate chemical uptake in target weeds).
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors)
Resistance risk: High
Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg
(Various products)
Rate: 10 g per 100 L of water
Comments: Spray to wet all foliage thoroughly.
Withholding period: Nil (recommended not to graze for 7 days before treatment and for 7 days after treatment to allow adequate chemical uptake in target weeds).
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors)
Resistance risk: High
Picloram 44.7 g/L + 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: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
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 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. |
All of NSW |
Prohibition on certain dealings
Must not be imported into the state, sold, bartered, exchanged or offered for sale. |
All of NSW
Boneseed Control Zone: Whole of NSW |
Control Order
Boneseed Control Zone (Whole of NSW): Owners and occupiers of land on which there is boneseed must notify the local control authority of new infestations; immediately destroy the plants; ensure subsequent generations are destroyed; and ensure the land is kept free of the plant. A person who deals with a carrier of boneseed must ensure the plant (and any seed and propagules) is not moved from the land; and immediately notify the local control authority of the presence of the plant. |
Reviewed 2023