Turbina

• Scrambling vine growing more than 10m high.
• Leaves are 3–10cm long, alternate, heart-shaped, bright green, hairless apart from short, white hairs along main veins on lower surface.
• Flowers are fragrant, 2–3cm long, have white petals in open bell shape and 5-rayed, dark brown to purple centre; open in morning and close in evening.
• Flower heads are many-branched, appear in axils of leaves.
• Fruit is beaked capsule, 8–15mm long, 5–6mm wide, with dry and papery pointed tip, persisting on thin, dead stems.
• Seeds are dull yellow-brown and covered in fine hairs 8–11mm.

• Grows along rainforest margins and waterways.

• Naturalised in Far North Queensland.

• Fruit appear during winter.

Environmental

• Invades vegetation and is serious threat to rainforest margins.

• Dried fruits and seeds float readily in water and have high level of dormancy.

• Find out how farmers can prevent weed spread.
• Find out how gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts can prevent weed spread.

Physical control

• Hand-pull seedlings and small plants, making sure to remove all roots and stem fragments.
• If plant is mature and growing up trees or other vegetation, cut all vines at comfortable height from ground. Leave vine to die on its support plant; treat parts of plant below cut with herbicide.

Herbicide control

• No herbicide is currently registered in Queensland; however, an off-label use permit (permit no. PER11463) allows use of various herbicides for control of environmental weeds in non-agricultural areas, bushland and forests.

See the Turbina fact sheet (PDF, 1.3MB) for herbicide control and application rates.

• Turbina is not a prohibited or restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014. However, by law, everyone has a general biosecurity obligation (GBO) to take reasonable and practical steps to minimise the risks associated with invasive plants under their control.
• Local councils must have a biosecurity plan that covers invasive plants in their area. This plan may include actions to be taken on Turbina. Some of these actions may be required under local laws. Contact your local council for more information.