Toxic invasive species found hidden in plain sight beside busy Aussie road

Yahoo

01-06-2025

Every day, more than 22,000 cars speed past it without a second glance. But just inches from the traffic on a busy Western Sydney street, a fast-spreading 'jumbo weed' is silently smothering native Australian plants.
On a median strip at a busy intersection at Hoxton Park, poisonous moth vines have started creeping between shrubs and grasses, and snaking their way up trees. While they may not look particularly threatening to passersby, the plants have toxic sap, leaves and seeds that can be harmful to people and wildlife.
Despite the busy location next to Fifteenth Avenue and Cowpasture Road, it's common for weeds to go unnoticed, Dr Carol Booth from the Invasive Species Council told Yahoo News.
'Weeds often grow unnoticed in prominent places. Understandably, many Aussies don't know a weed from a native,' she said.
'Australia has about 23,000 native plant species and more than 3,000 introduced species growing in the wild. That's why it's important that Australia's governments stop allowing the sale of weedy garden plants rather than relying on people to work out for themselves what is safe to plant.'
Moth vines produce pods which each carry up to 500 seeds that can remain viable for up to five years. The fruits split open while still attached to the vine and release the seeds, which have a tuft of silky hairs that allow them to spread quickly by wind, water or animal movement.
The rapidly-growing weed can grow in the shade, making it easy to weasel its way into forests, orchards and garden beds.
Dr Booth said if a resident spots a moth vine growing in their backyard, they can control it with herbicides.
'Young plants can be removed by hand,' she said, adding a reminder to take care to avoid contact with the sap.
A Liverpool Council spokesperson said the area where the moth vine was found was actually NSW Government land, but they still encourage residents to report noxious weeds.
'The report will be logged and sent to our maintenance crews for evaluation and action if needed. If like this weed it is not on council maintained land, we will report it to the relevant agency or property owner,' they said.
'Caution is recommended when dealing with moth vine. The plant produces sticky seed pods that can trap and kill small birds and insects. Its milky sap is toxic, causing skin irritation and allergic reactions in humans, and can be harmful to pets.
'If you find moth vine, do not ignore it—report it to your local council or biosecurity authority. If you decide to pull it out, wear gloves and protective eyewear. Make sure the entire root system is pulled out. Dispose it in a sealed bag and never compost it because it regrows and spreads further.'
The weeds are currently being treated as a biosecurity issue in some parts of Australia, including Canberra. And in the NSW Riverina region, citrus growers have reported their trees being overtaken by moth vines, leading Griffith City Council to issue a warning for farmers to remain vigilant.
Yahoo News has reached out to TfNSW for comment.
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