Christ's thorn

Alert

Have you seen Christ's thorn?

Be on the lookout for Christ's thorn and report it to Biosecurity Queensland. Early detection and reporting are the key elements in preventing Christ's thorn from becoming a major problem in Queensland.

You must take reasonable action to minimise the risk of spreading Christ's thorn to ensure the situation isn't worsened.

You must report all sightings to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours.

Call us on 13 25 23.

Christ's thorn plant form

Christ's thorn plant form

© Queensland Government

Christ's thorn fruit close-up

Christ's thorn fruit close-up

© Queensland Government

Christ's thorn fruit

Christ's thorn fruit

© Queensland Government

Native to northern and tropical Africa and southern and western Asia, Christ's thorn is a spiny shrub that can out-compete native vegetation and dominate grazing land. It has not yet been recorded in Queensland.

Scientific name

Ziziphus spina-christi

Other names

  • Christ's thorn jujube

Description

  • Spiny shrub 3–10m tall.
  • Short spines are positioned in pairs along branches.
  • Bark is whitish-brown or pale grey, cracked.
  • Trunk is twisted.
  • Leaves are alternate, oval, more pointed at tips.
  • Flowers are small, greenish-yellow.
  • Fruits are 1cm in diameter, red-brown, with stone in centre.

Habitat

  • Found in areas of low rainfall.
  • Capable of growing in desert or semi-desert where soils are often silty

Distribution

  • Not known to occur in Queensland.

Life cycle

  • Propagates from seeds held in woody capsules.

Impacts

Environmental

  • Forms dense thickets, displacing native vegetation.

Economic

  • Dominates grazing land in arid/semi-arid areas.

Prevention

Control

Legal requirements

  • Christ's thorn is a prohibited invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
  • You must not keep, move, give away, sell or release into the environment. Penalties may apply.
  • You must not take any action reasonably likely to exacerbate the biosecurity threat posed by Christ's thorn.
  • You must take any action that is reasonably likely to minimise the biosecurity threat posed by Christ's thorn.
  • You must report all sightings to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours.

Further information