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Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris)

Buffel grass was widely planted in Australia for pasture and land rehabilitation, but has spread into many native plant communities. It can reduce native plant diversity and increase fire frequency and intensity, creating risks for biodiversity, habitat and infrastructure.

Key facts

Type: Weed, grass.

Native to: Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Established in: QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, NT.

Other names: Pennisetum ciliare.

Best time to act: Look for new growth after warm-season rain, and treat when plants are green, leafy and actively growing, then follow up after the next significant rainfall.

Identification

  • It is a long-lived tussock grass with a deep, tough root system.
  • Depending on the cultivar, plants can grow to 1.5 metres tall, or remain under 1 metre.
  • Its dense, erect flower head is cylindrical and spike-like, 2.5 to 15 centimetres long, and straw-coloured to purple.
  • The flower head consists of bristly burrs on a zigzag central axis; each mature burr contains a small seed less than 2 millimetres long.
  • Leaves are rough-textured, and the ligule where the leaf blade meets the sheath is a fringe of hairs 0.2 to 2 millimetres long.
  • Look-alike: Birdwood grass (Cenchrus setiger) is related, but its burrs lack the long, fine bristles found on buffel grass.
  • Look-alike: Native Cenchrus species, including C. elymoides, C. robustus and C. caliculatus, lack the long flexible bristles of buffel grasses.

Where it grows

In northern and central Australia it occurs mainly in semi-arid to arid areas, especially along ephemeral watercourses, alluvial plains, run-on sites and calcareous rises.

Why it matters

  • It can dominate the ground layer and displace native grasses and other plants, reducing plant diversity.
  • Dry foliage forms a flammable ground layer that can carry extensive, intense fires at shorter intervals than native understorey, altering vegetation structure and composition.
  • Fire can kill established trees and shrubs and destroy young plants before they produce seed, reducing habitat diversity for native fauna.
  • It can affect traditional Indigenous resources such as bush food, timber and medicine, and create costs for managing fire risks and protecting biodiversity and infrastructure.

How it spreads

  • Fluffy burrs are dispersed by wind, water and animals, particularly along drainage lines and roads.
  • Vehicles, vehicle draughts, road grading and movement of soil can assist its spread along roads and infrastructure corridors; seeds can also be carried on clothing and boots.
  • Planting has helped spread it, and it can expand beyond planted areas after favourable seasonal conditions, particularly well-above-average summer rainfall.

Control options

  • Prioritise small, isolated plants and new outbreaks, and remove them before they set seed where possible.
  • For established plants, use approved methods suited to the site and growth stage; mature tussocks are difficult to remove, and large-scale mechanical removal can favour re-establishment.
  • Apply registered herbicides only when foliage is green and actively growing, and follow label instructions; spot treatment can help reduce damage to nearby native plants.
  • Follow up after significant rainfall to treat regrowth and seedlings, and restore ground cover to reduce the chance of reinvasion.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Where possible, slash before seeds develop, and clean vehicles and clothing before moving to uninfested areas.
  • Monitor and manage roadsides and drainage lines, where dispersal is likely; road grading and slashing can assist spread.
  • 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: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Not declared. Listed on the NT A to Z weed list but not declared under the Weeds Management Act 2001.
  • 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.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • 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
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Northern Territory: Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976 (NT), administered by NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Sources