Growing
- Forest layer: Herbaceous ground layer.
- Growth habit & lifespan: Fast-growing annual to short-lived perennial.
- Size: 0.2-0.6m.
- Site preference: Full sun, disturbed pasture and grassland especially, wide soil tolerance.
- Water needs / drought tolerance: Moderate.
- Fruiting / flowering season: Small yellow daisy flowers year-round in warm climates, peaking autumn through spring.
- Propagation: Seed, wind-dispersed in huge numbers, building a persistent soil seed bank fast.
- Harvesting technique: Not applicable, removal target.
Permaculture Function
- Permaculture functions: None of value.
- Wildlife value: Minor pollinator visitation, heavily outweighed by its toxicity to grazing animals.
- Edibility / medicinal use: Not edible, toxic.
- Companion notes: Not applicable, removal target.
Safety & Control
- Toxicity: Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that cause cumulative, irreversible liver damage in grazing livestock, cattle and horses especially. A well-established, serious pasture hazard rather than a minor nuisance weed.
- Control method: Never herbicide as the plan. Hand-pull or slash before flowering and seed set, since the seed bank builds fast once it's allowed to go to seed. Bag any flowering/seeding material rather than leaving it in place. Given the toxicity, this is worth prioritising ahead of most other weeds on a property running or planning to run livestock.