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Fountain grass (Cenchrus setaceus)

Fountain grass has escaped from ornamental plantings and become invasive in parts of Australia. It can form dense stands that suppress native plants and increase fire risk.

Key facts

Type: Weed, grass.

Native to: South-central, northern and eastern Africa, and the Middle East.

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

Other names: African Fountain Grass, Tender Fountain Grass, Pennisetum setaceum.

Best time to act: Look for flower spikes from late spring to mid-winter and seed heads from August to April; treat plants while they are actively growing.

Identification

  • A robust, perennial grass that forms large tussocks and grows to about 1 metre tall.
  • Its coarse, stiff leaves are flat, folded or inrolled, and can grow to 60 centimetres long and 4 millimetres wide.
  • Dense flower spikes are pale purple to pink, 10 to 30 centimetres long, and surrounded by thin, hairy bristles.
  • The seed is a smooth, wheat-coloured grain enclosed by the flower and its bristles.
  • Look-alike: Feathertop also has hairy bristles, but its flower heads are creamy rather than purple or pink. African feather grass has bristles without hairs and usually has elongated greenish or yellowish flower heads.

Where it grows

In Australia it occurs in disturbed areas near habitation, along roads and drains, around dams, on farms and in degraded pastures, and is naturalised in all states and territories except Tasmania.

Why it matters

  • It can form dense stands that exclude other plants and suppress native vegetation.
  • It invades degraded paddocks, grasslands, woodlands and transport corridors, and is unpalatable to stock and many native animals.
  • It increases fire risk, and fires in its stands can be hotter than fires in native grass and damage less fire-tolerant native communities.

How it spreads

  • Seed is mainly dispersed by wind and can also be spread by vehicles, people, livestock and water; birds may also spread it.
  • Dumping whole plants as garden waste contributes to its spread, and its sale as an ornamental can create new opportunities for establishment.

Control options

  • Uproot small infestations and remove and destroy seed heads.
  • Slashing or mowing can reduce seed-head production, but is only a short-term measure.
  • For extensive infestations, combine mechanical control with registered herbicides; foliar spraying and wick-wiping are effective application methods.
  • Control may need repeating several times a year; monitor after treatment because seeds can remain viable in soil for up to 10 years.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Seed can be spread by vehicles, people and livestock, so avoid carrying seed heads or infested plant material away from a site.
  • Clean vehicles, machinery and footwear or gear before leaving an infestation, and do not dump garden waste containing fountain grass.
  • 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: Restricted matter, category 3. Do not give it away, sell or release it into the environment. 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: Declared weed, Class B. Class B: growth and spread must be controlled. All declared weeds are also Class C, so they must not be brought into the NT.
  • 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.

  • 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
  • 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
  • Northern Territory: Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976 (NT), administered by NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Sources