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Azzarola (Crataegus sinaica)

Azzarola is an introduced ornamental that has naturalised near populated areas in parts of south-eastern Australia, including near Adelaide and Melbourne. It is a significant environmental weed in South Australia, where it invades hillsides, waterways and conservation areas in the Mount Lofty Ranges.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: Middle East.

Established in: VIC, SA.

Other names: Azzarola thorn, Azzarola hawthorn, Mount Sinai thorn, Neapolitan medlar.

Best time to act: Look for plants when they flower in spring, mainly around October, and control them before fruit matures and can be dispersed.

Identification

  • An upright, deciduous shrub or small tree, usually 2–6 m tall, with a few stout thorns 5–25 mm long.
  • Leaves are alternate, wedge-shaped and deeply divided into 3–5 lobes; their margins may also be coarsely toothed.
  • Young stems are greenish and softly hairy, becoming brown or grey and hairless as they mature.
  • White, cream or pink flowers, about 15 mm across, grow in small clusters along the branches, mainly in spring.
  • Shiny, rounded fruits turn orange-red or red as they mature; they are 10–25 mm across and contain two or three hard seeds.
  • Look-alike: It resembles azarole, hawthorn and smooth hawthorn: azzarola has hairy young stems and relatively large fruit with two or three hard seeds, while hawthorn has smaller fruit with one seed and smooth hawthorn has smaller fruit with two seeds.
  • Look-alike: Cotoneasters, firethorns and Indian hawthorn can also look similar, but their leaves have entire or finely toothed margins; cotoneasters and Indian hawthorn lack stem thorns.

Where it grows

In Australia it grows in coastal and sub-coastal temperate regions, particularly in old gardens, disturbed and waste areas, and degraded native habitats near populated places.

Why it matters

  • It is regarded as a significant environmental weed in South Australia, particularly in the Greater Adelaide Region.
  • It invades hillsides and waterways in the Northern and Southern Mount Lofty Ranges.
  • It is present in conservation areas in the region, including Brownhill Creek Recreation Park and Little Mount Crawford Native Forest Reserve.

How it spreads

  • It reproduces by seed, most commonly spread when birds eat the brightly coloured fruit.
  • Fruit may also be spread by other animals, water or dumped garden waste.

Control options

  • Remove young plants by hand when practical, taking care to remove the roots; use suitable protective equipment around thorny stems.
  • For larger plants, use an appropriate approved method such as cut-stump treatment with a herbicide registered for the target plant and site, and follow the product label and local requirements.
  • Remove or contain fruit-bearing material so fruit and seeds are not spread, and dispose of it in accordance with local guidance.
  • Check requirements with the relevant state biosecurity agency: azzarola is declared under Class 5a in parts of South Australia and is prohibited from entry into Western Australia; follow up for seedlings and regrowth.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean fruit, seeds, plant material and soil from vehicles, machinery, boots and tools before leaving an infested site.
  • Do not move fruit-bearing garden waste to clean areas; dispose of it as directed by local authorities.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Declared plant. Depending on the declaration, it can be an offence to move it on public roads or sell it, and landowners may be required to control it on their land.
  • Western Australia: Not listed. Not found in the Western Australian Organism List. Check with DPIRD before moving or keeping it.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board

Sources