Appendix 2: Native plants you might
confuse with weeds
Use this appendix to compare native plants you might confuse with weeds. These native plants are also suitable for
replacing the common weeds they are mistaken for.
GOOD IDEA: It is easier to hand-pull weeds when they are small, but they can be hard to tell apart
from the native plants you are trying to protect. Let weed seedlings grow large enough for you to
identify them correctly. If in any doubt, seek advice. Many grasses can only be distinguished from one
another under a microscope.
There are lots of resources available to help you identify native coastal plants and coastal weeds. Many are listed
at the end of the relevant chapters in this handbook. It is best to refer to few a different resources as the same
species can look quite varied in different photos.
Beach grasses
Use photos A ( 2 images)
Beach fescue (Austrofestuca littoralis) grows smaller (up to 60 cm high) than the far more common and vigorous
marram grass (Ammophila arenaria, up to 120 cm high). Beach fescue has a scaly branching rhizome rather than
extensive smooth rhizomes.
Boneseed look-a-likes
Use photos B (4 images)
Young coast wattle plants (Acacia longifolia subsp. sophorae) and boobialla (Myoporum insulare) can look like
boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. monilifera), especially when the seedlings first emerge. Coast
wattle and boobialla leaves are longer and have smooth edges. Boneseed leaves are broader and roughly toothed
and often partly covered with a white cobwebby down. They become easier to tell apart as the seedlings grow
larger. The coast wattle has spike-like flowers, not the daisy flowers of boneseed.
Hop goodenia (Goodenia lanata) seedlings have smaller leaves with very finely toothed edges, which are thinner
than the rather fleshy leaves of boneseed seedlings.
Daisies and thistles
Use photos C (2 images)
Coast groundsel (Senecio pinnatifolius) and numerous other yellow daisy-flowered native groundsels are most
easily confused with climbing groundsel (Senecio angulatus) or winter euryops (Euryops abrotanifolius) which has
finely divided leaves that are almost needle like in appearance.
There are some Senecio weeds, including purple ragwort (Senecio elegans), which has purple daisy flowers. The
native coast groundsel, which is most common on beach sands and foredunes, usually has a purplish tinge to its
lower stems and under the lower leaves.
Coastal sow thistle (Actites megalocarpa, previously Sonchus megalocarpus) can be readily distinguished from
dandelion, introduced sow thistles and similar weeds by its very fleshy crowded lower leaves, with crisp, prickly
edges, which hug the ground. It is very similar to the introduced prickly sow thistle (Sonchus aper) but the weed
exudes a sticky white sap (take care, as the sap can cause skin irritation).
Gorse
Use photos D (2 images)
The spiny native gorse (Daviesia ulicifolia) and introduced gorse (Ulex europaeus) are very difficult to tell apart
when not in flower. Native gorse has small light-yellow or deep reddish-orange flowers and flat triangular pods.
Introduced gorse has large golden-yellow flowers, smelling of coconut, and black oval pods.
Native grevillea (Grevillea australis, on the east coast) can look similar to mainland grevilleas. It has small white
flowers.
Heaths
Use photos E (2 images)
Coastal beard-heath (Leucopogon parviflorus) and other native heathland species (family Epacridaceae) can be
confused with introduced heaths (Erica species), especially spanish heath (Erica lusitanica) and Erica caffra. Native
heaths have cylindrical flowers and often prickly-pointed leaves whereas Erica species have bulbous bell flowers
and soft leaves.
Native raspberries and blackberries
Use photos F (2 images)
The edible native raspberry (Rubus parvifolius) can be confused with the European blackberry (Rubus fruticosus
agg.) There are 16 known species of this blackberry aggregate in Australia.
The blackberry is a much larger plant once it has passed its first year, however telling the difference between
smaller blackberries and the native raspberry is more difficult.
The flower of the native raspberry is distinctively pink or red, whereas the blackberry flower is white. The native
raspberry has leaves which are often paler green and more textured than the blackberry.
Peas
Use photos G (1 image)
Native indigo (Indigofera australis) is a small upright or arching woody shrub without tendrils, unlike the weakly
sprawling purple-flowered vetches (Vicia species).
The native poison pea (Swainsona lessertiifolia) growing around Bass Strait also looks very like purple-flowered
vetches but lacks tendrils at the ends of its branches.
Pigfaces
Use photos H (2 images)
Native pigface (Carpobrotus rossii) has purple-pink flowers with white stamens in the centre, supporting the
yellow pollen sacs. The slightly larger introduced pigface (Carpobrotus edulis) has magenta and/or pale-yellow
flowers with golden-yellow stamens.
Prickly bushes and boxes
Use photos I (2 images)
Prickly box (Bursaria spinosa) has very thin delicate thorns, unlike the massive fierce thorns of boxthorn (Lycium
ferocissimum), which are obvious even on very young plants. The fruit of Bursaria is a flat brown capsule, not a red
berry.
Native box (Alyxia buxifolia) and seaberry saltbush (Rhagodia candolleana) don’t have thorns.
Wattles
Use photos J (2 images)
Native acacias can be confused with several mainland wattles. The feathery leaves of the native silver wattle
(Acacia dealbata), black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) and sunshine wattle (Acacia terminalis) are similar to the leaves
of the introduced cape leeuwin wattle (Paraserianthes lophantha) and cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana).
The golden wattle, Acacia longifolia subsp. longifolia, is a mainland wattle but probably native to the east Bass
Strait islands of Tasmania. It is regarded as a weed on the mainland of Tasmania and easily confused with the
native coast wattle, Acacia longifolia subsp. sophorae (formerly Acacia sophorae).These two wattles are now
considered to be subspecies of the same species. They are very difficult to tell apart so take care not to purchase
Acacia longifolia subsp. longifolia from nurseries.