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Ochna (Ochna serrulata)

Ochna is an introduced ornamental shrub that invades bushland and can dominate the understory. Dense infestations can outcompete native plants, reduce food and habitat for native animals, and restrict movement.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: Southern Africa.

Established in: QLD, NSW.

Other names: Mickey mouse plant.

Best time to act: Look for flowers in spring and fruit from September to March, and control plants before they fruit; chemical control is generally best during warm, wet summers.

Identification

  • An evergreen shrub that grows 2–3 m tall.
  • Its narrow, oblong leaves are 2–10 cm long, finely toothed, often wavy, and arranged alternately along the stems.
  • Yellow flowers have five petals and usually grow singly on short stalks between the leaves and branches in spring.
  • Oval berries turn from green to black as they ripen, forming rings of up to six fruit surrounded by five red sepals.
  • Young stems are green or bronze, older stems are brown, and both can have tiny lumps called lenticels.

Where it grows

In NSW, ochna occurs in coastal regions from Illawarra to the Queensland border, especially in Greater Sydney and the North Coast, and has also been found in the Northern Tablelands, growing in shade or full sun on soils from sand to clay.

Why it matters

  • It can outcompete native plants and dominate the understory.
  • It can reduce food and habitat for native animals.
  • Dense infestations can restrict the movement of people and animals.
  • It invades disturbed sites and can also grow in undisturbed native vegetation.

How it spreads

  • Plants begin producing seed at about three years old; seeds usually germinate within a month and remain viable for up to one year.
  • Birds eat the fruit and spread seed, often from garden plantings into nearby bushland.
  • Seed can also spread when people dump garden waste containing fruiting ochna.

Control options

  • Dig out small plants and seedlings under 20 cm tall where the soil is soft or sandy, removing as much of the roots as possible; do not pull plants, as they can break at a kink in the root and regrow.
  • Control plants before they fruit, and use suitable herbicide products according to their labels and any applicable permits; methods described for ochna include spot spraying, gas guns, scrape and paint, cut stump, and stem injection.
  • Check treated areas and follow up when regrowth or new seedlings appear, as ochna is hardy and often resprouts.
  • Contact the local council weeds officer for technical advice and assistance.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Bag fruit from treated plants and dispose of it appropriately.
  • Do not dump garden waste containing ochna fruit in bushland.
  • 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: 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

Sources