Keeping the Bathurst bur out of our backyard: Quick info about regional pests

Community Engagement Advisor from Greater Wellington Regional Council

Bathurst bur (Xanthium spinosum) is actually from South America and accidentally made its way to Australia in the early 1800s where it got its name. From there it crossed the pond where it now contaminates wool, breaks shearing combs, cause skin irritations and dermatitis, and poisons stock – a true nasty!

With fifteen active control sites in the Wairarapa, some farms have thousands of plants on them! However, the plant is still relatively rare in the Wellington region and we plan to keep it that way.

Our pest plants team work hard on the fifteen sites to minimise the impact of this pest on people and livestock.

So if you see a plant with hundreds of straw-coloured burs, each 1.0–1.5 cm long, with many yellow hooked spines you’ve probably got Bathurst bur and our team wants to know about it and they’ll control it for free – to put those Aussies in their place!
Contact pest.plants@gw.govt.nz if you think you've seen it.

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