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Kochia
Botanical name: Kochia scoparia exc. B.scoparia subsp
Noxious Weed Category: Class 1
Special note: Notify your local weeds officer of sighting immediately. Kochia has allelopathic effects on pasture and crop plan, and may be toxic to grazing animals.
Source: Upper Hunter Noxious Weeds
Description
Originating from Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Kochia is an annual plant and is very competitive in summer. It forms dense multistemmed spherical bushes up to 1.5 m in diameter.When stems break off at ground level after maturity, they roll like tumbleweed, spilling their seed.
Dispersal
Kochia is spread by wind.
Impact on bushland
Readily invades roadsides and railway land. Originally intended for saltland rehabilitation and as a salt tolerant forage plant for grazing livestock, Kochia quickly spread to non salty pastures and cropping lands where it displayed weedy characteristics.
Control
Manual: Individual plants may be grubbed out.
See Manual Weed Control Techniques.
Chemical: Please contact your local control authority for advice on chemical control.