Weeds
NOXIOUS WEEDS
1. What is a noxious weed?
The term noxious according to the Macquarie dictionary (1991), is;
harmful or injurious to health or physical well being.
(of an animal, insect, plant, etc.) declared harmful by statute law for compulsory eradication.
Although there are many plants that can be classed as weeds, only a few plants which have a detrimental effect or cause serious economic loss to agriculture or the environment (providing there is reasonable and enforceable means of control) are considered as candidates for declaration as noxious weeds.
NSW Parliament has passed laws empowering the State or Local Government to declare certain plants noxious. Declared plants must be removed (or actively controlled) by the land holder (penalties apply). Declaring plants noxious i.e.; legally making the outlaws is frequently unsuccessful. Some plants have been declared for over 100 years eg; Blackberry and Thistles. Like any other law, declaring something illegal doesn’t necessarily stop it happening.
2. What weeds are declared and why?
In Urban Areas;
poisonous plants - Pellitory, Parthenium, Rhus
Hallucinogenic plants - Angels Trumpet, Cannabis, Opium Poppy
Invade Bushland - Pampas Grass, Bitou Bush, Privet
Agricultural Areas;
poison livestock - St Johns Wort, Cape Tulip
harbour vermin - Blackberry
damage wool/hides - Noogoora Burr, Thistle
reduce crop growth/harvest - Skeleton Weed
Aquatic Areas;
dams - Water Hyacinth
waterways - Salvinia
lakes - Alligator Weed
Gardenet takes no responsibility for the action and remedies provided. Whilst all information given is known to be true and correct, the decision of the recipient to use the information is at their own discretion.
