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Shoebutton ardisia (Ardisia elliptica)

Shoebutton ardisia forms dense infestations, sometimes with more than 400 plants per square metre, and outcompetes native plants. It can prevent native seedlings from growing and should not be sold in parts of NSW.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: The subcontinent, south and southeast Asia.

Established in: QLD, NSW, NT.

Other names: shoebutton daisy.

Best time to act: Spray plants when they are actively growing, and hand-pull seedlings when the soil is damp and loose.

Identification

  • It is a branched shrub or small tree growing up to 5 m tall, with angular stems 3–7 mm thick.
  • Its leathery, hairless leaves are alternate along the stems, often reddish when young and green when older; they are 5–13 cm long and 2.5–4.5 cm wide.
  • Star-shaped pale pink, pale lavender, mauve or white flowers, 6–13 mm across, grow in clusters in the upper leaf forks.
  • Its round, sometimes slightly flattened, one-seeded berries are 5–12 mm across and turn from green to deep purplish red and then black when ripe.
  • The hard, round seeds are 5–6 mm across and surrounded by whitish pulp.

Where it grows

In Australia it is often grown as a garden plant in warm areas, and in NSW it grows on the North Coast from Tweed Shire to the Port Macquarie Hastings region.

Why it matters

  • It forms dense infestations, sometimes exceeding 400 plants per square metre.
  • It outcompetes native plants and prevents native seedlings from growing.

How it spreads

  • Plants can produce seed after 2–4 years, with up to 400 seeds per plant per year.
  • Birds and other animals spread seeds after eating the fruit, and people can spread them by dumping garden waste.

Control options

  • Remove planted plants from gardens and regularly check the site for seedlings; follow-up control is needed because seed can remain viable for up to 5 years.
  • Hand-pull or dig out seedlings and small plants, preferably when the soil is damp and loose.
  • Contact your local council for advice on disposal.
  • For chemical control, use approved methods: spray actively growing plants across all foliage, use cut-stump treatment, or use a splatter gun for dense infestations that are difficult to reach.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Do not dump garden waste containing shoebutton ardisia, as this can spread its seeds.
  • 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: Regional priority in 1 of 11 regions. Regional priority weed in North Coast. 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
  • Northern Territory: Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976 (NT), administered by NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Sources