Spiny emex

General information

Native to South Africa, spiny emex (Emex australis) is a vigorous annual with a thick tap-root system.

Spiny emex is not a declared plant under Queensland legislation, however its control is recommended.

Scientific name	Emex australis
Impacts	competes with cereal crops and legumes in early growth stages and causes significant reductions in yield burrs are easily dispersed can be poisonous to sheep
Description	leaves form a rosette in early growth and branch later prostrate stems grow from the centre of the rosette flowers are not conspicuous has distinctive fruit, forming clusters of spiny burrs in the forks of the leaves has woody burrs, 7 mm long, triangular in cross section and bear three rigid spines
Habitat and distribution	a common weed in the southern border areas of the Moreton and Darling Downs to the Maranoa, Burnett and Leichhardt districts occurs in disturbed sites such as cultivated paddocks, around buildings, along roadsides and in waste places
Control	seed is produced at an early age, so the control program must aim to kill all plants shortly after emergence a combined approach of cultivation and chemical control methods is most effective the spiny emex fact sheet has further information about registered herbicides and application rates
Declaration details	not a declared plant under Queensland legislation but may be declared under local government law
Further information	local government weed control/environmental staff Spiny emex fact sheet (PDF, 174 kB)