Native plants as weeds in Eurobodalla: What residents should know
Native plants are a great choice for your garden in Eurobodalla. They help local wildlife, improve biodiversity, and usually need less care. But some native plants can spread beyond their natural areas and become environmental weeds. This can harm local ecosystems.
Why some native plants become weeds
When native plants grow beyond their normal areas, they can:
- take over local native vegetation
- cause as much damage as some exotic weeds because they're adapted to Australia's tough soils
- change the habitat and threaten native animals.
Weeds to watch for in Eurobodalla
Some native plants spread quickly and you should avoid or manage these carefully. Two common ones are:
Bluebell creeper
Bluebell creeper (Billardiera heterophylla):
- A climbing plant originally from Western Australia.
- Grows quickly up to four metres tall.
- Produces pretty blue, bell-shaped flowers in spring and summer.
- Can smother other plants by blocking sunlight and competing for nutrients
How it spreads: It produces many seeds eaten by birds and animals, which then spread the seeds in droppings. It can invade bushland and crowd out native plants.
Cootamundra wattle
Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana):
- A small tree that can grow up to ten metres.
- Produces bright yellow, ball-shaped flowers.
- Competes with native shrubs, trees, and ground plants.
How it spreads: Its tough seeds spread by birds, ants, vehicles, and farm equipment. It is often planted in windbreaks and roadsides but can spread into woodlands.
Identify a weedy native
Use the WeedScan app to identify weeds in your garden:
Learn more on the Weeds Australia website.
Tips for residents
- Choose local native plants that are less likely to spread beyond your garden.
- Avoid planting weedy natives like Bluebell creeper and Cootamundra wattle.
- Use recommended alternatives for the NSW south coast to protect local biodiversity.
Better gardens, better bushland
By planting responsibly, Eurobodalla residents can enjoy native gardens and protect our natural habitats from invasive native weeds.
More information
- Australian Native Plants Society (Australia): Environmental weeds in Australia
- Weeds Australia: Learn about weeds
- Grow me instead: NSW invasive plants and their alternatives
Contact us
If you need more information about native plants as weeds, contact our Invasive Species Supervisor, Paul Martin, on:
- T: 4474 1000
- E: Council