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Mexican bean tree (Cecropia spp.)

Mexican bean trees are fast-growing introduced trees that can establish in disturbed areas and spread into natural vegetation in Queensland. Dense growth can shade and displace native plants, so early detection and control help limit their spread.

Key facts

Type: Weed, tree.

Native to: Tropical Central and South America.

Established in: QLD, NSW.

Other names: trumpet tree, guarumo, yarumo.

Best time to act: Find and treat seedlings while they are small, and control established plants before they produce fruit.

Identification

  • A fast-growing tree that can grow to around 20 metres tall, with a spreading crown.
  • Its very large leaves are divided into several deep, finger-like lobes, giving them a hand-shaped outline.
  • The leaf upper surfaces are green and the undersides are noticeably pale or whitish.
  • Stems are often hollow and show ring-like scars where leaves have fallen.
  • Flowers and fruits grow in clusters of narrow, finger-like spikes.
  • Look-alike: Other large-leaved trees may look similar from a distance, but the combination of deeply lobed leaves with pale undersides and hollow, ring-scarred stems helps distinguish Cecropia.

Where it grows

In Queensland it can grow in warm, moist places, particularly disturbed sites, forest edges and riparian areas.

Why it matters

  • Rapid growth can allow it to form dense stands and compete with native plants for light and space.
  • Shading can suppress the growth and regeneration of vegetation beneath the canopy.
  • It can establish in disturbed areas and spread into adjoining natural vegetation.
  • Its establishment can change the composition of plant communities.

How it spreads

  • Birds and other fruit-eating animals can disperse seeds after feeding on the fruits.
  • Seeds or fruit may also be moved in contaminated soil and plant material.

Control options

  • Hand-pull small seedlings when the soil is moist, taking care to remove the roots.
  • For larger plants, use an appropriate cut-stump or stem-injection treatment with a herbicide registered for that use, and follow the product label.
  • Check treated sites regularly and remove or treat regrowth and new seedlings before they mature and produce fruit.
  • For advice on identification or local control requirements, contact the relevant local council or Queensland biosecurity authority.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Remove seeds, fruit and contaminated soil from footwear, tools, vehicles and machinery before leaving an infested site.
  • Avoid moving soil or plant material that could contain 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: Prohibited matter. Report it to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 within 24 hours and do not move or deal with it. 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: 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: 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

Sources