Weeds of National Significance
Department of the Environment and Heritage and the CRC for Australian Weed Management, 2003
ISBN 1 9209 3212 7
About the guide
Parthenium weed is a Weed of National Significance. It is regarded as one of the worst weeds in Australia because of its invasiveness, potential for spread, and economic and environmental impacts.
Parthenium weed is a major problem in rangelands and summer cropping areas of Queensland. It has a serious impact on the pastoral industry, costing farmers and graziers in Queensland over $22 million a year in reduced production and increased management costs. Some people suffer severe allergic reactions to the plant or its pollen; it can cause dermatitis, hay fever and asthma. Parthenium weed is toxic to cattle, and meat from livestock that eat the weed can be tainted. It also threatens biodiversity in the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion and native grasslands in the central highlands of Queensland.
This management guide was prepared in 2003. The state and territory contacts in this document may be out of date.
For advice on weed control in your state or territory see the primary contacts on the State and territory weed management arrangements page.
To be announced
|Extent in Australia||Potential distribution|
|QLD, NSW, VIC||Could further expand in current locations; plus WA, NT, SA|