Prickly acacia

Restricted invasive plant under Queensland’s Biosecurity Act 2014 and declared as a Weed of National Significance

Introduced originally for shade and fodder, this plant forms dense thorny thickets which are impenetrable to people and livestock.

Prickly acacia prefers to grow around bores and waterways and once established, these plants compete with pastures and native grasslands and turn them into a thorny scrub.

The main method of spread is through cattle who eat mature seed pods and then ‘deposit’ them over a wide area. It is therefore important to keep cattle and other livestock away from infested paddocks to prevent prickly acacia from spreading. Other control measures include mechanical removal, herbicides and biological controls. Learn how to identify, control and prevent the spread of this aggressive weed from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Prickly Acacia fact sheet.