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Persian poppy (Hypecoum pendulum)

Persian poppy is an introduced annual that can establish in open, disturbed ground and cultivated areas in Australia. It is worth identifying and controlling before it sets seed, particularly where it occurs among crops or native vegetation.

Key facts

Type: Weed, herb.

Native to: Mediterranean region and western Asia.

Established in: VIC, SA.

Best time to act: Look for plants during flowering and treat them before the hanging capsules mature and release seed.

Identification

  • It is a low to upright annual herb, often with branching stems and finely divided leaves.
  • The leaves are mostly near the base and have narrow, deeply cut segments.
  • Its yellow flowers have four petals and are held on slender stalks.
  • After flowering, it produces long, narrow capsules that hang down from the stalks.
  • Check plants in flower and with developing capsules to confirm identification.
  • Look-alike: Other finely divided annual herbs can look similar when not flowering; the yellow four-petalled flowers and hanging, narrow capsules are useful distinguishing features.

Where it grows

In Australia it occurs in open, disturbed places, including cultivated ground and roadsides.

Why it matters

  • It can compete with crops and other small plants where it becomes established.
  • Patches may add to weed pressure in disturbed sites and open vegetation.
  • Plants that set seed can replenish infestations and make follow-up management more difficult.

How it spreads

  • It reproduces by seed, so plants left to mature can contribute to future infestations.
  • Seeds and contaminated soil may be moved with machinery, vehicles, produce or other materials.

Control options

  • For small infestations, pull or dig plants out before capsules mature, removing as much of the plant as practical.
  • Bag and dispose of removed plants so developing seed is not spread.
  • For larger infestations, use only herbicides registered for the target and site, and follow the product label and relevant requirements.
  • Revisit treated areas and nearby disturbed ground to find and control regrowth and new seedlings; check with the state or territory biosecurity agency about reporting requirements.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean soil and plant material from vehicles, machinery, boots and tools before leaving an infested site.
  • Avoid moving soil or other materials that may contain seed into 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: Prohibited matter. It must not be brought into Tasmania. Report any sighting to Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • 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
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board

Sources