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Bitou Bush
Botanical name: Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. rotundata
Noxious Weed Category: Class 3
Bitou Regional Management Plan
Bitou Bush flower with ripe and green berries Regional Field Day in Pittwater removing Bitou thicket
Photo: Paul Marynissen Photo: Eva Twarkowski
Description
Originating in South Africa, Bitou Bush is a shrub to 2m. It is a thicket forming coastal dune shrub with rounded leaves
Golden yellow, daisy flowers appearing mostly in spring to early summer. Fruit is a purplish black, bony berry occurring in clusters and ripening in summer, 6 to 8mm. Seed stock remains viable in the soil for up to 7 years.
Distinguishing between Bitou and Boneseed.
Dispersal
Spread by fruit-eating birds.
Impact on bushland
Bitou Bush is the most significant environmental weed on the NSW coast. It can form large thickets smothering indigenous plants, threatening both indigenous plant and animal survival. Bitou Bush mainly invades dunes but it also invades headlands and rainforest. Boneseed is causing a similar degree of concern in southern states. It invades headlands, dunes and bushland.
Control
Manual:
- Bitou Bush has a shallow root system, so small seedlings can be easily handpulled.
- Larger shrubs are easy to dig out, but all roots must be removed (be careful not to de-stabilise sand).
- Responds readily to the cut and paint technique with a undiluted glyphosate-based product. Each stem or runner must be treated.
- It can be left on site as mulch if during seeding stage.
- Fire kills adult plants but seeds last many years in the soil, often germinating after fire as a carpet of seedlings.
- Follow up work is necessary for eradication.
See Manual Weed Control Techniques.
Chemical: Please contact your local control authority for advice on chemical control.
References and further resource material
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Attack of the Killer Weeds, Coastcare.
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Bitou Bush, part 1: 'A Big Problem' on youtube
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Bitou Bush, part 2: 'Splatter Gun' on youtube