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Cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli)

Introduced as an ornamental garden plant, cockspur coral tree is invasive along waterways in coastal New South Wales, with infestations also in the Central West and Northern Tablelands. It can dominate waterways and floodplains, outcompeting native vegetation and reducing food and habitat for native animals.

Key facts

Type: Weed, tree.

Native to: South America.

Established in: QLD, NSW, VIC.

Best time to act: Look for the scarlet flowers in spring, and carry out permitted foliar spraying from October to May under the applicable label and permit conditions.

Identification

  • A deciduous shrub or small tree that can grow to 6 m tall, losing its leaves in winter.
  • Leaves are hairless and made up of three oval leaflets with narrow tips and smooth edges.
  • Scarlet-red, pea-shaped flowers appear in spring in clusters at branch ends.
  • Large curved pods turn from green to dark brown or black as they mature, and contain 3–12 shiny brown or black seeds.
  • Stems have cone-shaped prickles; mature stems are rough-barked and brown or greyish, while young stems are green, shiny and hairless.
  • Look-alike: Common coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii) has larger leaves and flowers before new leaves appear in spring.
  • Look-alike: Native batswing coral tree has wider leaves and smaller, usually darker red flowers; native Pine Mountain coral tree grows taller, has corky bark and stout prickles, and has salmon to orange flowers.

Where it grows

In Australia it grows along riverbanks and on floodplains, swamps and wetlands, especially in coastal areas of New South Wales from Sydney to the Queensland border.

Why it matters

  • It can dominate waterways and floodplains and outcompete native vegetation.
  • It reduces food and habitat for native animals.
  • It can have major negative effects on soil stability and nutrient levels.
  • Its leaves can make people feel unwell if eaten.

How it spreads

  • Flowing water moves its pods and seeds, and they can also be moved with garden waste.
  • Cut or broken branches can develop roots and form new plants; dumped garden waste and floodwaters can spread them.

Control options

  • Hand-pull or dig out small seedlings, and remove garden trees where possible.
  • For larger plants, use an approved cut-stump or stem-injection method, applying herbicide to the cut or sapwood within 15 seconds; use only products and methods allowed by the current label and permit.
  • Foliar spraying is permitted only in the Mid North Coast, Northern Rivers and Far North Coast under the stated permit conditions; check current permit and label requirements before treatment.
  • Check for regrowth and seedlings near mature trees monthly for at least 6 months; in North Coast exclusion zones, notify the local control authority if the plant is found.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Keep pods, seeds and cut branches out of garden waste that could be dumped or carried to other sites.
  • Avoid moving plant material into waterways or flood-prone areas, where pods, seeds and broken branches can 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: Regional priority in 1 of 11 regions. Regional priority weed in North Coast. 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: Not declared. Not on the NT A to Z weed list, and Weeds Australia does not list it as declared in the NT. Check the NT declared weeds list before moving or planting it.
  • 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

Sources