Each month, NEWA (New England Weeds Authority) News will feature a local and currently threatening weed to be aware of.How does this weed affect you?
Sticky nightshade is an invasive plant that:
- competes with crops and pastures
- prevents native plants from growing
- has sharp prickles which can injure people, pets, livestock, and native animals
- can make harvesting difficult (for example in vineyards).
Sticky nightshade is also poisonous and contains steroidal glycoalkaloids toxins. It is suspected to have caused cattle deaths in the Greater Sydney Region.
What does it look like?
Sticky nightshade is an erect plant to 1.5 m high. Most of the plant is hairy and covered in very sharp prickles.It is an annual or short-lived perennial. Multiple, severe frosts may kill the above ground parts of the plant, but it will reshoot from rhizomes in spring.It can flower within 5 weeks of germination or regrowth from rhizomes.
Flowering is usually during spring and summer.
- Leaves are 5–14 cm long and 4–10 cm wide. They are sticky and green to yellowish on both sides, hairy and prickly on both sides and have deep lobes.
- Prickles are 1–10 mm long and yellow to red in colour. They can be found on the stems, leaves (top and bottom), leaf stalks and at the base of flowers.
- Flowers are 35–50 mm in diameter with 5 white or pale bluish-purple star shaped petals that curve backwards and bright yellow anthers in the centre. They are in groups of 4–12 and are present spring to summer.
- Fruit is 15–20 mm diameter round berries that are bright red when ripe.
- Roots produce horizontal underground stems known as rhizomes. These root systems are extensive.
What type of environment does it grow in?
Sticky nightshade grows in full sun and semi shade. It can grow in a wide variety of soil types and environments but grows best in moist soil conditions.
It grows:
- in pastures
- on cultivated land
- along waterways
- along roadsides
- on steep rocky slopes
Where is it found?
Sticky nightshade is mostly found in Western Sydney and the Central Tablelands. Isolated infestations have also been found in the Central West, South East, Hunter, North Coast, North West and Riverina LLS regions.It is native to South America.
Recently Sticky Nightshade was found in the Torryburn area of Uralla. All known plants have since been destroyed, but please be extra vigilant if you are in this area.
How does it spread?
The seeds spread by:
- Birds and foxes eating ripe fruit and excreting viable seeds.
- Dead branches with fruit blowing along the ground dispersing seed.
- Water as the fruit floats and can be carried in runoff, rivers, and streams.
- Slashers.
- Movement of contaminated soil and fodder.
- Movement of soil on cultivation equipment and earthmoving equipment.
- Many seeds germinate under the parent plants making infestations denser.
Sticky nightshade can grow from root or rhizome fragments. Branches develop roots where they touch moist soil.
The plant fragments are spread by:
- contaminated soil
- cultivation equipment
- earth moving equipment.
This plant is considered an Eradication species within the Northern Tablelands LLS region.
If found, please contact your Local Control Authority.
New England Weeds Authority – 5775 9700
Inverell Shire Council – 0427 241 806
Tenterfield Shire Council – 0427 810 418
