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Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis)

Chinese silvergrass is an ornamental grass that has naturalised in parts of southern Australia, including areas of New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia. It forms dense tussocks and can invade bushland, suppressing native plants, particularly in disturbed areas and after fires.

Key facts

Type: Weed, grass.

Native to: Eastern Asia, including eastern Russia, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Established in: NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA, WA.

Other names: Eulalia, Japanese silver grass, Maiden grass, Chinese fairy grass.

Best time to act: Survey when the distinctive plumes are visible, generally in late summer to autumn, and treat before seed heads mature, with timing varying by location.

Identification

  • It is a perennial grass that grows in large, dense tussocks.
  • The leaves are long, narrow and arching, with a noticeable midrib.
  • Flowering stems carry feathery plumes that are often silvery or pinkish.
  • The mature seed heads are fluffy and conspicuous.
  • Some cultivated forms have lengthwise white stripes or crosswise pale bands on their leaves.

Where it grows

In Australia it is naturalised in temperate parts of southern Australia and grows along roadsides, railway embankments, disturbed sites, forest margins and in urban bushland.

Why it matters

  • Dense tussocks and extensive infestations can prevent native plants from growing and germinating.
  • It rapidly colonises disturbed or open areas and can invade large areas of bushland after fires.
  • It is an environmental weed in New South Wales and a potential environmental weed in Victoria, where it is also listed as a weed-alert species.
  • In its native Japan it can colonise abandoned fields and prevent the regeneration of oak forests.

How it spreads

  • It can spread by seed, which may be dispersed from mature seed heads.
  • Established clumps can also expand vegetatively, so moving plant material or soil containing roots can spread it to new sites.
  • Ornamental plantings can provide a source of plants and seeds near bushland and other disturbed areas.

Control options

  • Remove small plants and tussocks physically, taking care to remove the crown and roots, and dispose of plant material so it cannot regrow or set seed.
  • For larger clumps, cut or slash them and treat regrowth with a herbicide registered for the site and target plant, following the product label and local advice.
  • Check treated areas regularly and remove or retreat regrowth and new seedlings before they set seed.
  • Check local requirements and report infestations to the relevant state biosecurity agency where appropriate.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean soil, seeds and plant fragments from vehicles, machinery, boots and tools before leaving an infested site.
  • Avoid moving contaminated soil or plant material to clean areas, and dispose of seed heads securely.
  • 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: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • 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: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Declared pest, notifiable, prohibited. It is a declared pest throughout the ACT. You must report it to ACT Biosecurity. Dealing with it, such as selling, moving or keeping it, is prohibited.

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.

  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Australian Capital Territory: Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT), administered by ACT Biosecurity
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • 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

Sources