African boxthorn

Lycium ferocissimum

family

Solanaceae

origin

Exotic

declaration

Category 3 Restricted Matter (Biosecurity Act 2014)

Category 3 Restricted Matter (Biosecurity Act 2014)

Must not be distributed or disposed. This means it must not be released into the environment unless the distribution or disposal is authorised in a regulation or under a permit.

Common names

African boxthorn, Box-thorn, Boxthorn, Box thorn, Cape boxthorn.

An upright spiny shrub usually growing 2-3 m tall and spreading about 3 m across. Large spines (2-15 cm long) are borne along the stems and smaller spines are borne at the ends of short side-branches. Its hairless leaves are somewhat fleshy and are usually borne in groups of 5-12 at the stem joints. Its tubular flowers (8-12 mm across) are borne singly or in pairs in the forks of the leaves. These flowers are white or pale lilac with darker purple markings, and their petal lobes are bent backwards. Its egg-shaped or rounded berries (5-12 mm long and 5-10 wide) turn orange-red or bright red in colour when mature.

Leaf arrangement:Simple
Leaf form:Alternate
White
Purple
Green

Impact

Impact

African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum) is regarded as a significant environmental weed in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, and as an environmental weed in New South Wales, the ACT, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. It is actively managed by community groups in Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia and is listed as a priority environmental weed in 17 Natural Resource Management regions. Further information from the Queensland Government

Location

Location

Characteristics

Characteristics

Similar Species

Similar Species

Control Methods