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White-edged nightshade (Solanum marginatum)

White-edged nightshade is an introduced, prickly shrub that can establish in disturbed places in Australia. Its sharp spines and potentially toxic parts make infestations a concern for people, livestock and land management.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: Ethiopia and nearby parts of north-east Africa.

Established in: VIC, TAS, SA.

Other names: White-edged solanum, African nightshade.

Best time to act: Look for plants when they are flowering or fruiting for easier identification, and treat them before berries mature and seed can spread.

Identification

  • It is an upright, branching shrub with sharp prickles on its stems and leaf stalks.
  • The large leaves are broadly oval with irregular lobes and conspicuous pale or white margins and veins.
  • The leaf undersides are pale and woolly, while the upper surfaces are greener.
  • White, star-shaped flowers grow in clusters and have prominent yellow anthers.
  • The fruit is a rounded berry that becomes yellow as it ripens.
  • Look-alike: Silverleaf nightshade also has prickles and pale foliage, but its leaves are generally narrower and silvery all over rather than broadly lobed with distinct white margins.

Where it grows

In Australia it grows in disturbed places such as roadsides, wasteland and other open sites.

Why it matters

  • Dense growth can compete with pasture plants and native vegetation.
  • The sharp prickles can injure people and animals and make infested areas difficult to access.
  • Parts of the plant, including its berries, can be toxic if eaten.

How it spreads

  • The plant spreads by seed in its berries, which may be moved by animals and birds.
  • Seeds and fruit can also be carried in contaminated soil, dumped garden waste, or on vehicles and machinery.

Control options

  • Remove small plants by digging them out, taking care to remove the roots and avoid spreading fruit or seed.
  • For larger plants, use a herbicide registered for the situation and follow all label directions, or use another method approved for the site.
  • Remove and dispose of fruit and plant material so it cannot spread; avoid dumping it in the bush or on roadsides.
  • Revisit treated areas for regrowth and seedlings, and check with the state or territory biosecurity agency about reporting requirements, especially for new or outlying infestations.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean seeds, fruit and soil from boots, vehicles and machinery before leaving an infested area.
  • Do not move contaminated soil, garden waste or fodder from infested sites.
  • 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: Declared weed. Property managers are required by law to control declared weeds, and their import and sale are prohibited.
  • 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.

  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board

Sources