Barleria (Barleria prionitis)

Also known as: porcupine flower

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Barleria is a prickly shrub with yellow flowers. It outcompetes native plants and restricts access to waterways.

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How does this weed affect you?

Barleria forms dense thickets, which:

outcompete native plants
are unpalatable to stock, outcompete pastures and reduce productivity
impede stock movement
restrict access to waterways for people and animals
reduce the aesthetic values of natural bushland
have spines that can injure people and animals.

What does it look like?

Barleria is an erect, prickly, perennial shrub, usually single stemmed and up 1.5 m tall.

Leaves:

are up to 13 cm long and 4 cm wide
are oval-shaped with narrow ends
have 3–5 sharp spines, which are 1–2 cm long at the base
opposite along the stem.

Flowers are:

yellow-orange
tubular with two long stamens protruding from the middle of the flower
4 cm long
either stalkless and bunched tightly together at the top of the plant, or single at the base of leaves
present during autumn.

Fruit are:

capsules
oval-shaped
up to 2 cm long
tapered to a sharp beak
present during winter.

Seeds are:

flat
8 mm long and 5 mm wide
covered with matted hairs
in pairs in the fruit.

Stems are:

green and square in cross section when young
light brown to light grey, round when older.

Roots:

include a central taproot
have lateral roots branching off in all directions.

Similar looking plants

Barleria looks similar to these garden plants:

Hophead barleria (Barleria lupulina), which has narrow leaves with a reddish midvein
Yellow barleria (Barleria micans), which does not have spines.

Where is it found?

Barleria has not been found in NSW. There are infestations in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Barleria is native to tropical East Africa and Asia. It is grown throughout the world as an ornamental hedge plant, and has escaped from gardens in many regions including Mauritius, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Papua New Guinea.

What type of environment does it grow in?

Barleria grows well in tropical areas but can also grow in subtropical and warm temperate climates. Plants can grow in full sun and partial shade. It prefers well-drained soil and can grow on a wide variety of soil types including sandy soil. Barleria grows:

along waterways
in open woodlands
along forest edges
on rocky outcrops
in disturbed areas such as roadsides or overgrazed pastures.

How does it spread?

Most Australian infestations of Baleria have been traced back to garden escapes.

By seed

One plant can produce hundreds of seeds each year and the seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years. Seeds need moist conditions to germinate. Most seeds germinate within a few metres of the parent plant. Seeds are also spread by flowing water and people dumping garden waste.

By plant parts

Barleria can grow roots from stem fragments when in moist environments. These can be spread by people dumping garden waste.

References

CRC for Australian Weed Management (2003). Weed Management Guide: Barleria or porcupine flower. CRC for Australian Weed Management, Adelaide, South Australia.

Identic & Lucid (2016) Weeds of Australia Fact Sheet: Barleria prionitis L. Retrieved 26 April 2023 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/barleria_prionitis.htm

Rojas-Sandoval, J. (2015) CABI Invasive species sheet: Barleria prionitis (porcupine flower). Retrieved 26 April 2023 from: https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/cabicompendium.8510

Waterhouse B, Mitchell A, Wilson C, Wilson N, James P, Crothers M, Morrow B, Thorp J, 2003. Weed Management Guide - Barleria or porcupine flower (Barleria prionitis)., Australia: CRC Weed Management.

More information

Weed Futures: Determining current and future weed threats in Australia, Barleria prionitis .Macquarie University.

Control

Contact your local council if you find an infestation of this plan.

To manage barleria:

Aim to eradicate new and small infestations before they become established.
Carefully dispose of all removed barleria material.
Keep checking and control new seedlings for many years.

Physical removal

By hand

Small plants may be hand pulled or dug out. Wear gloves to avoid injuries from the spines.

Disposal

Plants can be burned to destroy the seeds. Contract your local council for other disposal methods.

Chemical control

Spraying

Spray actively growing plants. Cover all of the foliage with herbicide.

Splatter guns

Splatter guns can be used for dense infestations of weeds that are difficult to reach. The specialised nozzle produces large droplets that allow plants up to 10 m away to be sprayed with limited chance of spray drift. Spray small amounts of concentrated herbicide onto the weeds. It is not necessary to cover all of the foliage.

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.

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Fluroxypyr 200 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 500 mL to 1 L per 100 L water
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Do not graze failed crops and treated pastures or cut for stock feed for 7 days after application. See label for further information.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Fluroxypyr 333 g/L (Starane™ Advanced)
Rate: 300 to 600 mL per 100 L water
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Do not graze failed crops and treated pastures or cut for stock food for 7 days after application. See label for more information.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: One part product to 50 parts water
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: One part product to 9 parts water
Comments: Splatter gun
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: 10 - 20 g per 100 L water plus surfactant
Comments: Spot spray
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

Biosecurity duty

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.

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

Reviewed 2023