Boneseed, Bitou Bush

This is a quite attractive looking South African daisy shrub, but beware! Quoting from Department of the Environment and Heritage and the...Read More CRC for Australian Weed Management, 2003:

"Bitou bush is a Weed of National Significance. It is regarded as one of the worst weeds in Australia because of its invasiveness, potential for spread, and economic and environmental impacts.

Bitou bush threatens coastal dune vegetation along Australia's east coast. It can outcompete and in many cases totally replace native flora, and it invades undisturbed as well as disturbed areas. Infestations of bitou bush drastically alter the environment for many native birds and animals. It can also create a favourable environment for other highly invasive weeds, such as asparagus fern, lantana and glory lily.

Ironically, one of the plants being choked by bitou bush along the New South Wales coast, golden wattle (Acacia longifolia) has become a major pest of coastal dunes in South Africa, where it was introduced to serve much the same purpose as bitou bush in Australia."