Singapore Daisy, Sphagneticola trilobata

Singapore Dairy is a priority invasive plant in the Sunshine Coast Council region. In the new Biosecurity Plan 2024, it is listed as an “asset protection” species: These species occur across the whole of the Sunshine Coast. They cause some impacts where they occur. These species should be managed when they threaten or impact high-value assets. This may include important environmental, agriculture, or community areas. Under the Biosecurity Act 2014 it is classified as a a category 3 restricted invasive plant. It must not be given away, sold, or released into the environment. Further information on it can be found here: Singapore Daisy.

Information and identification

Singapore Daisy is a perennial (long-lived) herb with a creeping habit – it spreads along the ground and up into bushes and other vegetation, eventually smothering everything in its path. It originates from the central American region but has become a problem weed in many of the warmer parts of the world, including the coastal areas of Queensland, as well as northern NSW, the NT and WA. It mainly spreads to new areas through fragments of stems – mowing or brush-cutting it is a great way to spread it further. Fortunately the fruit aren’t often fertile in Australia, so it doesn’t spread much by seed. It particularly likes likes wetter areas – gullies, riverbanks and wetlands – but it is quite happy growing away from water, too.

Identification:

• Creeping herb
• Leaves are bright to dark green and glossy, with 3 lobes, and are irregularly toothed as well. They occur in pairs along the stems (opposite) and are stalkless or nearly so. They appear semi-succulent.
• The flowers are bright yellow, typical “daisy”- type flowers borne singly on upright stems and can be seen at any time of the year, although more flowering occurs in the warmer months.
• Stems produce roots at the nodes and can be several metres in length.

Impacts

Environmental

Singapore Daisy smothers and outcompetes native grasses, herbs and other understorey plants as well as seedlings of larger plants, leading to a loss of diversity of native plants.

Distribution at Crystal Waters

Fortunately we only have a few patches of Singapore Daisy that I am aware of: on Lower Lot 1 near the decommisioned skate ramp, in the gully between Lots 13 and 21, around Lot 25 and around Lot 70. I understand there was also some around Lot 40 but I think that has been eliminated.

Control methods and efforts

Some individual lotowners have worked on Singapore Daisy on their own properties with varying success. Goats were tried at Lot 70, but they didn’t seem to like it much! Sheets of black plastic laid over the ground were trialled outside Lot 70, too, with some effect. However, once the plastic was removed the Singapore Daisy just came back.