Biosecurity Spotters logo

Kaffir heath (Erica caffra)

Kaffir heath is a South African shrub recorded in South Australia’s Southern Lofty region, where its status is considered questionably naturalised. If it establishes beyond cultivation, it can compete with native plants and needs follow-up monitoring.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: South Africa.

Established in: VIC, TAS.

Other names: Cape heath, water heath.

Best time to act: Look for plants when they are flowering, and treat them before capsules release seed.

Identification

  • It is an evergreen shrub with upright, branching stems.
  • The leaves are small, narrow and needle-like, and grow in groups around the stems.
  • Its small, tubular flowers are pinkish to pale in colour and occur in clusters near the ends of branches.
  • After flowering, it produces small capsules containing seeds.
  • Look-alike: Other Erica species can have similar needle-like leaves and tubular flowers, so check the flowers and growth habit before identifying a plant.

Where it grows

In Australia it is recorded in South Australia’s Southern Lofty region and is associated with moist sites such as stream margins.

Why it matters

  • Established shrubs can compete with native plants for space, light and other resources.
  • Dense growth can make it harder for native vegetation to regenerate.
  • Plants outside cultivation should be checked for seedlings and managed before they spread further.

How it spreads

  • It reproduces by seed, which develops in capsules after flowering.
  • Seeds or seed-bearing plant material may be spread when soil, garden waste or machinery is moved.

Control options

  • For small plants, hand-pull or dig them out when the soil is moist, removing the roots where possible.
  • For larger plants, use an appropriate registered herbicide or approved cut-stump method, following the product label and local advice.
  • Bag and dispose of flowering or seed-bearing material so it is not spread.
  • Revisit treated sites to remove seedlings and report new or unusual infestations to the relevant state or territory biosecurity agency.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean soil and plant material from boots, tools, vehicles and machinery before leaving an infested site.
  • Do not move soil or garden waste containing the plant or its seeds to clean areas.
  • 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: Not listed. Not found in the Western Australian Organism List. Check with DPIRD before moving or keeping it.
  • Tasmania: Declared weed. Property managers are required by law to control declared weeds, and their import and sale are prohibited.
  • 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: 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.

  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania

Sources