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Time to Attack Fireweed

Looking a lot like a field of dandelion from a distance, Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis) is a small, harmless looking little plant with quaint yellow daisy-like flowers, and 13 petals.

This silent invader is slowly but surely contaminating pastures as it sneaks across the shire firmly establishing itself as dominator of pastures. Dandelion it may look like, but dandelion it isn’t.
 
The plant is called fireweed because of its ability to spread rapidly – particularly in fire damaged and denuded pastures. It produces a copious amount of small, highly viable seeds that float in the wind, on water, and known to hitch rides in all manner of nooks and crannies. Seeds can cover a good distance before settling down to stake a claim on clean country. Fireweed is equally happy in shallow sandy soil with low rainfall as it is in heavy clay/loam with a high rainfall.

There is very little time, around three weeks, between germination of seeds and the production of a small plant, followed by the onset of flowering and a subsequent rain of seed. Flowering and seeding can occur over a long period of the plant’s life effectively dispersing an enormous amount of seed capable of germinating very quickly.

Fireweed has been known to grow all year round, but is more prevalent in the cooler months from around April to September, depending on seasonal variation. This fact alone, and the rapid life-cycle of fireweed, makes effective control difficult as repeated control applications are needed to continually destroy plants that may not have germinated when initial spraying was done.

Although it can be a part of an overall seed-reduction strategy, slashing by itself is not a recommended control method, as it tends to encourage the plants to grow more prostrate and spread out, and as a result, they will produce more seed, and because the plants are flatter, they become harder to treat in pastures. Spraying is best well before flowering is initiated as mature plants will bolt rapidly and set viable seed if sprayed.

Fireweed contains toxins that may, over the long-term cause irreversible liver damage and subsequent death to sheep, cattle and horses if they graze excessively on it. Once established, fireweed is extremely difficult, costly, and time consuming to eradicate or manage. Despite attempts by both Council and proactive landholders to eradicate fireweed, it is slowly but surely gaining a firm foothold over large tracts of our shire, as wind, contaminated stock fodder, machinery, and uncooperative landholders allow this weed to spread.

As we approach the season for fireweed, now is a good time to walk your paddocks, identify any fireweed, and work out a suitable eradication program before seeding occurs. Land managers who believe they may have a fireweed problem and are unsure of control options or need positive identification are advised to contact Council’s weed officer, a reputable weed control operator, or a local Agronomist for advice on how best to manage the weed.

More about Fireweed.

Contact details
Wingecarribee Shire Council
Tel: 02 4868 0888
Fax: 02 4869 1203
wscmail@wsc.nsw.gov.au

© 2008 Wingecarribee Shire Council
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