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Tobacco weed (Elephantopus mollis)

Tobacco weed can outcompete pasture and native plants, reducing pasture productivity. Its hairy leaves and stems can also cause skin irritation.

Key facts

Type: Weed, herb.

Native to: Central and South America.

Established in: QLD, NSW.

Other names: Elephant's foot.

Best time to act: Flowers are usually present in May, and treatment is most effective before plants produce stems or set seed.

Identification

  • This perennial herb grows up to 1.5 m tall and begins as a rosette of leaves at ground level.
  • Its oblong or oval leaves are toothed, rough on top, and sticky and hairy underneath; leaves on the stems are shorter than rosette leaves.
  • Upright stems are covered in fine white hairs, woody at the base, and sparsely branched on the top half.
  • White or pinkish-purple tubular flowers grow in clusters at the ends of stems, usually in May.
  • The brown to greyish-black seeds are ribbed and hairy, about 3 mm long, and have five white bristles.

Where it grows

In NSW it has been found in Tweed Shire, including pastures, forest edges and disturbed places such as roadsides, in tropical or subtropical conditions usually receiving more than 1,400 mm of rain a year.

Why it matters

  • It outcompetes pasture plants and can reduce productivity, especially for the beef and dairy industries.
  • It outcompetes native plants.
  • Hairs on the leaves and stems can cause skin irritation.

How it spreads

  • It spreads by seed; most seeds sprout in the first year, and none remain viable for more than two years.
  • Wind moves seeds short distances, while water can carry them farther.
  • Seeds can attach to clothing, footwear, animal fur or feathers, and can be carried in mud on vehicles or agricultural machinery; they may also contaminate pasture seed.

Control options

  • Dig out scattered plants; very small plants can be hand-pulled when the soil is soft.
  • Cultivate before plants set seed, then check the site for two years and control new growth if plants have already seeded.
  • Slashing can prevent seed production but will not kill plants; follow it with herbicide treatment where suitable.
  • Treat before plants produce stems for the most effective herbicide control, and check treated areas regularly for regrowth; follow the label and any relevant permit.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean vehicles and agricultural machinery used in infested areas before moving them to sites without tobacco weed.
  • After walking through an infested area, brush bristled seeds off footwear and clothing.
  • 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: Restricted matter, category 3. Do not give it away, sell or release it into the environment. 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: 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