Just weeks after dealing with the outbreak of an invasive plant species, the North Burnett is now on alert for yet another biosecurity breach, with the restricted chinee apple found at Philpott last week.
A total of ten shrubs of ziziphus mauritania, which is known by the names chinee apple or Indian jujubee, were spotted by North Burnett Regional Council land protection crews on the banks of the Burnett River earlier this month, according to a notice by Council sent out to landholders on 3 November.
The category 3 restricted invasive plant is native to southern Asia and eastern Africa and was first discovered in north Queensland in the 1860s, where it was found to have a significant impact on stock movement and pasture quality.
According to the Queensland Government’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, chinee apple is usually found as a large shrub or small spreading tree, growing up to eight metres tall.
The plant’s branches are dense, zig-zag shaped, with leaves and thorns at each angle; the leaves can be easily identified by their round shape, glossy top and pale white underside.
The fruits of the plant are 2.5 centimetres in diameter, green while unripe and pale yellow to orange when ripe.
“[Chinee apple] spreads along watercourses and grows into dense stands on dry exposed hillsides,” a DAF infosheet states.
“Stands of chinee apple grow as open forests or form thorny thickets along waterways. Mature trees produce large quantities of fruit that are readily eaten by stock, feral pigs, wallabies and birds, which assists the spread of the seed.
“[The plant] creates impenetrable thickets that seriously hamper stock management, [reducing] pasture production and accessibility.”
According to the Department, landholders must be aware of their obligation to manage the spread and impacts of chinee apple on their properties; this includes a ban on giving away, selling or releasing the plant into the environment.
“Chinee apple is a category 3 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014,” a spokesperson for the North Burnett Regional Council said in regards to the plant’s discovery in the region.
“The Act requires everyone to take all reasonable and practical measures to minimise the biosecurity risks associated with invasive plants under their control, to meet their general biosecurity obligation.
“If you believe you have chinee apple or would like to confirm if a plant is chinee apple or not, please contact our friendly Land Protection staff for assistance.”
The chinee apple discovery comes just weeks after the invasive plant fireweed was found on properties in both the North and South Burnett regions.
Landholders can find out more about chinee apple on the Business Queensland website via: fal.cn/3thmy
