Red sesbania
Alert
Be on the lookout for red sesbania and report any sightings immediately.
Reporting options
- Report online.
- Phone Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.
- Phone the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
Red sesbania flower
© Eric Hunt Creative Commons
Red sesbania flower
© MLH Radio Creative Commons
Red sesbania fruit
© Barry Rice Creative Commons
Red sesbania in water
© F & K Starr Creative Commons
Red sesbania leaves and flowers
© John Byrd Creative Commons
Native to South America, red sesbania is a deciduous shrub or tree with many slender branches. It is a poisonous plant that forms dense infestations along waterways. Red sesbania is a serious invasive plant in South Africa, and has also been reported in Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
Red sesbania has not yet been found in Queensland. It has the potential to become a serious problem if introduced and planted in gardens in Queensland.
Scientific name
Sesbania punicea
Description
- This deciduous shrub or tree grows up to 4m tall. It has many slender branches and distinctive winged seed pods.
- Flowers are bright red in hanging clusters 20mm long.
- Leaves are dark green and 100–200mm long. They end in tiny pointed tips.
- Pods are brown, 60–80mm long and 10mm wide. They have sharply pointed tips and each pod contains 4–10 seeds.
Habitat
- Prefers banks of creeks and rivers.
Distribution
- Not known to occur in Queensland.
Life cycle
- Flowers in late spring to autumn.
- Seed pods persist on plants through winter.
Animals affected
- Birds
- Mammals
Impacts
Environmental
- Poisonous to humans and other vertebrate species.
- Forms dense infestations along banks of creeks and rivers.
How it is spread
- Spread by water currents.
Prevention
- Find out how farmers can prevent weed spread.
- Find out how gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts can prevent weed spread.
Control
- Before undertaking any preventative or control actions, contact us online, by phone or in person.
Legal requirements
- Red sesbania is a prohibited invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014. You must not:
- keep it
- move it
- give it away
- sell it
- release it into the environment.
- You must not take any action that is reasonably likely to exacerbate the biosecurity threat posed by red sesbania.
- You must take any action that is reasonably likely to minimise the biosecurity threat posed by red sesbania.
- You must report any sightings immediately using 1 of these methods:
- Report online.
- Phone Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.
- Phone the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
If you do any of these, penalties may apply.
Further information
- Contact us online, by phone or in person.