Prevent the spread of garden pest plants

Pest plants threaten the survival of native plant species. They also threaten the long-term survival of some native animals by providing cover for pest animals to hide in.

Garden plants can easily escape and establish themselves in bush next door or hundreds of kilometres away.

Many pest plants will establish from discarded root fragments, cuttings or seed-heads. Once established, these plants can quickly replace native vegetation. They are often further distributed by birds, animals, wind or water movement.

• Passionfruit vines seeds are eaten and dispersed by birds.
• Old man’s beard seeds are distributed by wind.
• Tradescantia that has been dumped by gardeners sprawls over forest floors.
• Small seeds such as heather get caught in socks and boots and are transported into public conservation land.
• Seeds may be carried in loads of gravel and spread to new locations.
• Water weeds can be spread between bodies of water on fishing equipment, boats and trailers.

What you can do

You can reduce the spread of invasive weeds.

• Don't grow them in your garden. Take a look at these Plant me instead booklets.
• Look out for pest plants and remove them.
• Take your garden waste to an approved landfill or transfer station, burn it or bury it – don’t dump it. 
• If you see a new plant spreading out of control, report to your local authority or regional council.
• Find out which of your garden plants could escape into native bush. 
• Buy garden plants that you know will not escape and become pests.

Recognise plants that could be weeds

List of weeds on Weedbusters website.