Fireweed

Senecio madagascariensis

family

Asteraceae

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

Fireweed, Madagascar ragwort, Fire weed.

A short-lived or relatively long-lived herbaceous plant with much-branched stems growing 10-70 cm tall. Its stalkless leaves are variable in shape, though they are usually quite narrow and elongated. The leaf margins are usually toothed, but they may sometimes be entire or lobed. Its yellow flower-heads (15-20 mm across) have 12-15 yellow 'petals' and their bases are surrounded by about twenty greenish bracts. Its small brown seeds are topped with a silky tuft of hairs.

Leaf arrangement:Simple
Leaf form:Basal
Yellow
Green

Impact

Impact

Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland and New South Wales. It was also recently listed as a priority environmental weed in four Natural Resource Management regions.

Location

Location

Characteristics

Characteristics

Similar Species

Similar Species

Control Methods