Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala)

Also known as: lead tree, coffee bush

Leucaena is a small tree with white fluffy flowers. It spreads quickly if it is not heavily grazed or controlled.

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How does this weed affect you?

Leucaena is a small tree that has been planted as fodder. Unless it is heavily grazed or controlled it can spread quickly. Leucaena quickly forms dense thickets on ungrazed land and:

• outcompetes native plants
• reduces habitat and food for native animals
• forms dense stands that can restrict movement of people and animals.

Livestock poisoning

Young leucaena leaves contain the alkaloid mimosine. This can cause hair loss in some animals, and slow weight gain in cattle sheep and goats if it makes up more than about 30% of the diet. To prevent poisoning, livestock can be inoculated with an oral drench of rumen fluid containing a detoxifying bacterium. The bacteria will rapidly spread to other animals in the herd. Contact your veterinarian for advice.

The leaves, seeds and pods are toxic to livestock if they are not inoculated. Leucaena causes the following symptoms:

• Pigs - hair loss and deformity in piglets.
• Horses - decreased appetite and weight loss, laminitis, abortions, thyroid dysfunction, mouth sores and hair loss.
• Ruminants generally - thyroid dysfunction, mouth and throat sores, hair loss, cataracts, and infertility.
• Cattle - initially, from a few days, drooling and a swollen mouth. Longer exposure can cause low birth weight, hyperactivity making handling difficult and blindness from cataracts.
• Sheep - wool loss and goitre.

What does it look like?

Leucaena is an erect shrub or tree usually 2-8 m tall, though it can grow to 20 m.

Leaves are:

• fern-like
• divided twice (bipinnate), first into 2–6 pairs of primary leaflets then into 5–20 pairs of secondary leaflets which are:
  • 7–15 mm long and 1.5–4 mm wide
  • oblong or lance-shaped with a pointed tip.
  • hairless.

The leaves may be shed in when the plants are stressed by extreme weather conditions. 

Flowerheads are:

• creamy-white or greenish-white
• round fluffy balls that look like pom-poms
• single or in groups of 2 or 3 growing on a stalk from the leaf axil
• 15–20 mm in diameter
• present in summer.

Seedpods are:

• glossy brown, each containing 10–25 seeds
• 8–18 cm long and 1–2 cm wide
• flattened
• in dense clusters.

Seeds are:

• oval shaped and flat
• shiny, dark brown
• 6–10 mm long.

Stems are:

• hairy, green and covered in greyish hairs when young
• smoother, greyish or greyish-brown and with lots of raised spots (lenticels) when older.

Similar species

Leucaena looks similar to Mimosa bush (Vachellia farnesiana) which has pink pom-pom like flowers and the foliage is not as dense.

Where is it found?

Leucaena grows on the North Coast and in the greater Sydney region. 

It is native to Central and South America. The leaves are edible to livestock and it was introduced as fodder in Queensland.

What type of environment does it grow in?

Leucaena grows in tropical and subtropical climates. Frost damages the trees and they do not grow well in low temperatures. Plants usually grow in areas with annual rainfall from 650-3000 mm, though they are drought tolerant. 

Plants grow in a variety soil types but grow best in deep well drained alkaline, low-mid fertility soils. They tolerate mild salinity.

Although Leucaena tolerates partial shade, plants cannot grow under a forest canopy and they prefer full sun. 

Maps and records

• Recorded presence of Leucaena 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

Leucaena produces seeds all year round. Plants in Queensland have produced up to 17,600 seeds per year.

Seeds are spread:

• by birds, possums, rodents and cattle
• short distances by the wind
• by moving water
• in contaminated hay
• in mud on vehicles and machinery.

References

Cook, Bruce G. (2007). Pastures Australia - A collaboration between AWI, GRDC, MLA, RIRDC and Dairy Australia: Fact Sheet Index - Leucaena. https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/pastures/Html/Leucaena.htm

Identic Pty Ltd. and Lucid (2016). Environmental Weeds of Australia Fact sheet: Leucaena leucocephala Retrieved: 25 November 2025 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/leucaena_leucocephala.htm

McKenzie, R. (2020). Australia's poisonous plants, fungi and cyanobacteria: A guide to species of medical and veterinary importance. CSIRO PUBLISHING.

PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System) (2020). Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. NSW Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 24 November 2025 from: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Leucaena~leucocephala

Queensland Government (2024). Leaucaena Fact Sheet. Retrieved 24 November 2025 from: https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/ckan-publications-attachments-prod/resources/d721eec9-53f5-4898-9dd6-1a0e33e25c70/leucaena.pdf?ETag=74f193e167f522e83d03ee6c9d89ab82

Shelton, H. M., Kerven, G., & Dalzell, S. A. (2019). An update on leucaena toxicity: Is inoculation with Synergistes jonesii necessary?. Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales, 7(2), 146-153.

Walton, C. S. (2003). Leucaena in Queensland: Pest status review series - Land protection. Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Qld.

More information

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Control

Successful weed control relies on 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.

By hand

Dig out small individual plants. Remove all the roots to prevent regrowth.

Grazing

Use a combination of rotational and continuous grazing to keep the maximum height of bushes to 2 m.

Slashing and mulching

Slash at 1 m high if trees are getting too tall.

Chemical control

Basal barking

Apply herbicide mixed with diesel to cover the lower stem, all the way around. A higher concentration of herbicide is used for stems over 5 cm in diameter.

Cut stump method

Cut trunks or stems, and apply herbicide to the stump within 15 seconds of cutting.

Stem injection with capsules

Capsules are injected into the stem's sapwood and then sealed. Use on actively growing plants.

Herbicide options

See Using herbicides for more information.

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Metsulfuron-methyl 75 g/kg + Aminopyralid 93.7 g/kg (Di-Bak AM)
Rate: 1 capsule for every 10 cm of circumference
Comments: Capsule herbicide: See critical comments on the label for details on how to apply and seal the capsule into the sapwood of the tree trunk.
Withholding period: Nil
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

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Picloram 44.7 g/L + Aminopyralid 4.47 g/L (Vigilant II ®)
Rate: Undiluted
Comments: Cut stump for small plants: Apply a 3–5 mm layer of gel onto stems less than 2 cm diameter. Apply 5 mm layer on stems above 2 cm diameter. Stem inject trees: Make evenly spaced cuts 1.5-2 cm deep around the trunk. Apply a 5 mm layer of gel over the lower surface of the cut.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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Triclopyr 240 g/L + Picloram 120 g/L (Access™ )
Rate: 1.0 L in 60 L of diesel (or biodiesel such as Biosafe).
Comments: Basal bark application for plants with stems up to 5 cm diameter at the base. Liberally spray the bark around the stem from ground level to 30 cm high, wetting thoroughly to the point of runoff. Cut stump application for plants with a diameter up to and more than 5 cm at the base. Apply herbicide immediately after the cut is made.
Withholding period: Nil
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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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.
North Coast Exclusion (eradication) zone: Bellingen Shire LGA, Clarence Valley LGA, Lord Howe Island, Nambucca Valley LGA, Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA. Core infestation (containment) zone: Ballina Shire LGA, Byron Shire LGA, Coffs Harbour City LGA, Kempsey Shire LGA, Kyogle Shire LGA, Lismore City LGA, Richmond Valley LGA, Tweed Shire LGA.	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Containment) Whole of region: Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. A person should not buy, sell, move, carry or release the plant into the environment. 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. Core infestation: Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land. 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

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Reviewed 2026