Spanish heath (Erica lusitanica)

Also known as: Portuguese heath

Spanish heath is a perennial woody shrub 1 to 2 m high, densely covered in small narrow leaves. It outcompetes native plants, reducing food and habitat for native animals.

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How does this weed affect you?

Spanish heath: 

• forms dense shrub layers in the understorey of forests and woodlands
• outcompetes native plants
• reduces food and habitat for native animals
• can invade degraded pastures, further reducing productivity.

What does it look like?

Spanish heath is an upright, woody shrub 0.3 to 3.3 m tall.

Leaves are:

• 3-7 mm long and less than 1 mm wide
• thick with a lengthways groove on the lower surface
• stiff, and hairless
• on short stalks
• in whorls of 3 or 4.

Flowers are:

• white (buds are tinged pink) with dark purple anthers
• tubular with 4 rounded lobes
• 4-5 mm long
• in pairs or groups of 3-4 on the end of branches
• present autumn to spring.

Fruit:

• small oval shaped capsule
• 2-3 mm long
• holds 80-100 tiny dust-like seeds.

Stems:

• young stems green and covered with soft hairs
• old stems woody and brown and up to 15 cm thick.

Roots:

• stringy, deep root system
• woody crown at bottom of plant
• plants can regrow from crown if above ground parts are damaged.

Similar looking plants

There are other Erica species that have become weedy in New South Wales, including:

• Tree Heath (Erica arborea), which looks very similar. It has branched hairs on the young stems and the flowers have a dark read throat.
• Erica glandulosa, which is a smaller shrub with pink to light purple tube-shaped flowers.

It is important to identify Spanish heath correctly because it can be confused with Australian native plants, including:

• Common heath (Epacris impressa) – a shrub to 1.2 m tall with longer leaves (up to 13 mm) and larger, red, pink or white tubular flowers (up to 20 mm long).
• Prickly Beard-heath (Leucopogon juniperinus) – a shrub to 1 m tall with longer leaves (up to 12 mm) and fleshy yellow fruit.
• Peach heath (Lissanthe strigosa) - a shorter shrub (up to 70 cm)l with white or pinkish urn-shaped flowers and fleshy white fruit.
• Prickly broom-heath (Monotoca scoparia) - a smaller spreading shrub (to 1.2 m) with longer leaves (up to 15 mm) and yellow to orange fruit.

Where is it found?

In NSW, Spanish heath has been found in the Central tablelands, Greater Sydney, Riverina and South East regions.

Spanish heath is native to southwestern Europe. It is used in the cut-flower industry and is often grown in gardens. 

What type of environment does it grow in?

Spanish heath grows in a range of climates, though it does not tolerate frosts. Most plants grow in areas with around 600 mm of annual rainfall. Plants have deep roots which help them survive dry conditions, They tolerate infertile soil and have been found:

• in disturbed areas such as roadsides
• along drains
• in gardens
• in pastures
• on the edges of bushland.

Maps and records

• Recorded presence of Spanish heath 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?

One large shrub can produce millions of tiny seeds, which can live in the soil for several years. Seeds are spread by:

• wind and water
• slashing equipment
• movement of contaminated soil and on earth moving equipment
• sticking to vehicles.

 Plants can also regrow from their hardy root system, even after fire or cutting stems off at ground level.

References

CRC for Australian Weed Management (2007). Weed Management Guide: Spanish heath (Erica lusitanica) and other Erica species. Cooperative Research Centre for Weed Management. 

Identic Pty Ltd. and Lucid (2016). Environmental Weeds of Australia Fact sheet: Erica lusitanica Rudolphi. Retrieved: 06/02/2026 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/erica_lusitanica.htm

Muyt, A. (2001). Bush invaders of South-East Australia: a guide to the identification and control of environmental weeds found in South-East Australia. RG and FJ Richardson.

PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved: 8 September 2022 from: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Erica~lusitanica

More information

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Control

Prevention

Wash down vehicles and equipment after they have been in areas where Spanish heath seeds could be present.

Physical removal

Seedlings and small plants can be hand pulled. Pliers can be used to get a good grip on the stems. Make sure to remove all roots (including the crown) or the plant can regrow. This option is best used in soft soil like sand or loam and will not work in hard soil like dry clay. Larger plants may be dug out. 

Disposal

Contact your local council for disposal advice.

Chemical control

Spraying

Spray actively growing plants. Cover all of the foliage. 

Basal bark

Spray or paint the herbicide mixture around the base of each stem from ground level to a height of at least 30 cm from the ground. Wet the bark to the point of runoff. 

Splatter gun

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.

Herbicide options

See Using herbicides for more information.

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PERMIT 14249 Expires 31/03/2030
Picloram 100 g/L + Triclopyr 300 g/L + Aminopyralid 8 g/L (Grazon® Extra)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Spray plants less than 1.5 metres tall from October to May. See permit for critical comments.
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

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PERMIT 14249 Expires 31/03/2030
Triclopyr 300 g/L + Picloram 100 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Spray plants up to 1.5 m tall from October to May. See permit for critical comments.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
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

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Fluroxypyr 200 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 35 mL per L diesel/kerosene
Comments: Basal bark
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

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
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

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Fluroxypyr 333 g/L (Starane™ Advanced)
Rate: 21 mL per L diesel/kerosene
Comments: Basal bark
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

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
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

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
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

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
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

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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.
Central Tablelands An exclusion zone is established for Bathurst Regional Council, Blayney Council, Cabonne Council, Cowra Shire Council, Mid-Western Regional Council, Oberon Council, and Orange City Council areas. A core infestation area is established for Lithgow Council area.	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Containment) Within exclusion zone: Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. 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. Within core infestation area: Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. 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.
South East Containment zone: Queanbeyan-Palerang, Snowy Monaro and Wingecarribee Local Government Areas. Exclusion zone: Whole of region except containment zone.	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Containment) Whole of region: Land managers mitigate the risk of new weeds being introduced to their land. 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. Within exclusion zone: Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. Notify local control authority if found. Within containment zone: Land managers should reduce the impact of the plant on assets of high economic, environmental and/or social value. Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land.
	*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