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Heather (Calluna vulgaris)

Heather is naturalised in Tasmania, where it has been recorded in fragile alpine areas as well as roadsides and pasture. Its persistent, easily spread seedbank and ability to form dense cover mean it could become a serious environmental weed in temperate Australia.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: Native to much of Europe, northern Africa, the Azores and Madeira Islands..

Established in: NSW, TAS.

Other names: Ling, Scots Heather, Scotch Heather, Red-heath.

Identification

  • Heather is an evergreen perennial shrub that grows to about 50 cm high in Australia.
  • Young stems are densely hairy and may be erect, ascending or decumbent.
  • Its small, hairless leaves are 1.5 to 3.5 mm long and sit in four rows along the stems, often overlapping tightly.
  • Small flowers with four petals and four similarly sized sepals range from white to purple, sometimes pink, and cluster near the ends of long shoots; they become papery and brown.
  • The fruits are covered in short white hairs and enclosed by papery sepals; the reddish-orange seeds are oblong and about 0.5 mm long.
  • Look-alike: Heather may be mistaken for weedy Erica species: Heather has pink, petal-like sepals and overlapping, stalkless leaves, while Erica species usually have green sepals and stalked leaves that do not strongly overlap.

Where it grows

In Australia, Heather is known to be naturalised only in Tasmania, including alpine vegetation, roadsides, and poor pasture on sandy soils near the coast.

Why it matters

  • Heather could invade native heaths, grasslands and open forests, particularly after disturbance such as fire or clear-felling.
  • Dense canopies can exclude other plants, and Heather is thought to release compounds that inhibit the growth of surrounding plants, particularly trees.
  • It may alter fuel loads and fire regimes in natural ecosystems and provide habitat for pest animals such as rabbits.
  • Its establishment in natural areas and on roadsides can increase control and removal costs and may affect eco-tourism values.

How it spreads

  • Mature plants can produce up to 158,000 seeds per year, and seed viability may exceed 100 years.
  • Small, light seeds can travel by wind up to several hundred metres; they may also move in running water or by adhering to people, vehicles, machinery and animals.
  • Heather can also reproduce by stem layering, particularly in moist places with moss and leaf litter.

Control options

  • No herbicides are currently registered for use on Heather in Australia; seek specialist advice about registered herbicides and other approved methods.
  • Hand-pulling or digging is difficult because of the fibrous root system, and soil disturbance can lead to regrowth from stem fragments and seed.
  • Intense sheep grazing, especially in spring, can suppress growth and flowering and may eliminate plants after several years; light grazing and mechanical slashing do not kill plants.
  • Use integrated control with routine follow-up monitoring and control for several years, and consult your local council or state or territory weed management agency before acting.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Heather seeds can adhere to people, vehicles, machinery and animals, so check and clean these before leaving infested sites to reduce the chance of carrying seeds elsewhere.
  • 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): National Environmental Alert List. One of 28 weeds named on the National Environmental Alert List as early-stage invaders with serious potential to harm the environment.
  • 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: Declared weed. Property managers are required by law to control declared weeds, and their import and sale are prohibited.
  • 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.

  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania

Sources