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Weeds: Giant sensitive plant
Giant sensitive plant is also known as creeping sensitive plant and tropical blackberry (Mimosa diplotricha)
Giant sensitive plant is a serious weed of tropical crops and pastures. Its woody stems are covered in prickles. It invades areas where the soil has been disturbed, forming tangled thorny infestations that are impossible for livestock or people to penetrate. It smothers pastures and crops like sugarcane, as well as native plants.
Keep a Top Watch
If you see Giant sensitive plant on your land or in your travels, report it to your quarantine officer immediately. It is vital that new infestations of this weed are recognised early and eradicated, to protect our land and crops.
Profile: Giant sensitive plant is a serious weed of sugarcane and pastures in moist environments. It grows rapidly, and produces huge numbers of seeds that remain dormant for up to 50 years. It forms tangled thorny infestations that are impossible for livestock or people to penetrate, and smothers pastures and crops like sugarcane, as well as native plants.
Identification: Plants are scrambling annuals or perennials with angular, prickly stems to 3m long. Prickles are up to 6mm long and curve downwards.
It has bright green feathery leaves, and small pink flowers clustered in fluffy balls. Spiny seed pods break into three to four one-seeded segments. Seeds are spread by running water, or as contaminants on clothing, animal fur, vehicles and in soil and agricultural seed.
Threat: Increased production costs, reduced land value and environmental degradation are potential consequences of this weed invading new areas in northern Australia.
Photos below: The Giant sensitive plant has small pink flowers. The tangled thorny infestations are impossible to penetrate and the spiny seed pods break into segments.
Quarantine: This declared species is a target of weed surveys conducted by AQIS and State weed authorities in northern Australia. New infestations must be reported and destroyed. It is under active control in Queensland.