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Sicilian sea lavender (Limonium hyblaeum)

Sicilian sea lavender can form large, dense mats in salty coastal environments. It outcompetes native plants and reduces bird habitat.

Key facts

Type: Weed, herb.

Native to: Sicily, Italy.

Established in: NSW, VIC, SA, WA.

Other names: cushion plant.

Best time to act: Treat before plants set seed; flowers are present from late spring to autumn, and hand removal is easiest when the soil is damp.

Identification

  • It is a low-growing perennial, up to 25 cm tall, that often forms dense, cushion-like colonies.
  • Leaves are green, sometimes reddish, and grow in dense rosettes; each leaf is spoon-shaped and up to 3.5 cm long and 1.6 cm wide.
  • Pink or purple, tube-shaped flowers grow in spikes on stalks above the leaves and are present from late spring to autumn.
  • The dry fruit is a capsule with one seed, about 2 mm long.
  • Roots grow quickly and include semi-woody rhizomes.
  • Look-alike: Native sea lavender (Limonium australe) grows on the south coast of NSW and has larger leaves, up to 8 cm long, and grows up to 40 cm tall.
  • Look-alike: Winged sea lavender (Limonium lobatum), also a weed found mostly in western NSW, has lobed leaves and grows up to 1 m tall.

Where it grows

In NSW it has been found in the Greater Sydney region around coastal Gosford and near Lake Cargelligo, growing in coastal areas, salt marshes, rocky areas, sand dunes, beside lakes and on gravelly roadsides.

Why it matters

  • It can form dense colonies that outcompete native plants.
  • It reduces bird habitat.
  • It tolerates salty conditions and can survive tidal inundation.

How it spreads

  • It spreads by seed and plant parts, with rhizomes helping colonies grow larger.
  • Broken rhizomes can be carried to new areas by vehicles and machinery or in dumped garden waste.
  • Seeds can spread in water, especially seawater, by wind, in contaminated soil, on clothing, boots and vehicle tyres, and by animals including birds and rabbits; plants can produce well over 100 seeds per square metre and flowers can self-pollinate.

Control options

  • Treat plants before they seed, and revisit control areas regularly to check progress and re-treat if needed.
  • Hand-remove individual plants and small infestations, taking care to remove all roots because plants can regrow from roots left behind.
  • For chemical control, use registered herbicides according to the label and permit; spraying is for actively growing plants and requires coverage of all foliage, while wiping is effective for small infestations.
  • Contact the local council for advice on disposal.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Check vehicles, machinery, boots and clothing for seeds or plant parts, and avoid moving contaminated soil or garden waste to new areas.
  • Be aware that seeds and plant parts can also spread in water, especially seawater.
  • 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 Greater Sydney. 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.

  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • 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
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources