Nipping weed in the bud

A highly invasive weed that threatens pastures, crops, horticulture and natural areas has been found on 18 Moreton Bay properties.

Tropical soda apple (solanum viarum) or TSA has been detected on several properties in Stony Creek and Neurum - and one at Morayfield.

Moreton Bay City Council biosecurity officers are working with landholders to identify, treat and remove the nightmare weed before it becomes a major risk.

The species spreads rapidly, with the potential to infest a hectare of land within six months, preventing livestock accessing water and shade, if left unchecked.

“We identified 40 properties along Stony Creek and the Lower Stanley River where we believed TSA could be growing,” he said.

“Our biosecurity officers inspected all of these properties and found TSA on 18 of them.”

Officers are helping landholders identify, treat and remove the weed which can pose a serious risk to pastures, horticulture, natural areas, crops, livestock and even humans.

Tropical soda apple is a perennial shrub with yellow fruit and white flowers, grows up to two metres tall and has sharp thorn-like prickles, which can injure people and animals.

Native to South America, the plant can become so dense it stops livestock from accessing shade and water. Its fruit can be poisonous to humans when eaten in large quantities.

Mayor Flannery said TSA was first detected in Stony Creek by a contractor who was familiar with the weed, having worked in NSW where the plant is more common.

“The weed’s seeds are usually spread by animals that feed on the fruit,” Mayor Flannery said.

“We believe the weed may have been spread to Stony Creek by cattle that had eaten tropical soda apple from elsewhere, possibly in NSW, though it’s impossible to know for sure.

“It is unclear how the weeds got to the Morayfield detection site, which is independent of the Stony Creek finding. Investigations are underway with conclusions yet to be determined.”

In Florida the weed spread so fast it infested more than half a million hectares in five years and costs landowners millions of dollars each year.

Sightings of TSA must be immediately reported to Biosecurity Queensland online, by phone on 13 25 23 or the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881