Highly invasive plants in Australia you might have in your garden
Invasive plants are one of the most serious environmental problems facing Australia. Their impact is far greater than most home gardeners realise. According to the State of the Environment Australia, invasive species are consistently identified as the leading pressure on threatened fauna, affecting around 82% of Australia’s species.
Many of the invasive plants causing widespread damage began as garden introductions. They've now gone well beyond those boundaries, outcompeting native vegetation, altering soil and waterways and reducing habitat.
Here are 10 invasive species (there are many more) you may have in your garden, why they’re a problem, how to remove them safely and similar native replacements. By not giving them a home in your plot, you can make your garden easier to maintain, more resilient and supportive of local wildlife.
10 highly invasive plants and native alternatives
These plants succeed because they grow fast, spread relentlessly or survive conditions that native plants cannot compete with once displaced.
1. Lantana
About Lantana
Lantana produces bright, colourful flowers over many months which is why it became so appealing to home gardeners. In its native Central and South America, Lantana provides seasonal nectar and habitat without dominating or displacing surrounding plant communities.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia, it grows into dense, tangled thickets that block sunlight and physically prevent other plants from germinating. Native groundcovers, grasses and shrubs cannot establish underneath it, so plant diversity collapses. Its habit also creates continuous fuel loads. During bushfires, this leads to hotter, more destructive fires. Birds spread lantana seed allowing it to invade bushland, creek lines and reserves.
How to remove it properly
It reshoots aggressively if any part of the root crown is left behind. To get it completely, cut back growth first with loppers, then use a sharp spade to loosen and remove the entire root system. Thorn-proof gardening gloves are critical due to sharp stems and follow-up monitoring is essential.
Similar native alternative: Grevillea (compact shrub varieties)
Grevilleas are one of the best replacements for lantana because many compact forms flower for months, cope with heat and drought and attract birds.
2. Asparagus Fern
About Asparagus Fern
Asparagus fern is native to Southern Africa, where it grows as part of diverse plant communities and is kept in check by natural competition. It was widely introduced to Australian gardens as a hardy, evergreen groundcover.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia, asparagus fern spreads aggressively both above and below ground. It produces dense mats of underground tubers that outcompete native plants for water and nutrients. Its red berries are eaten by birds, allowing seed to be spread far beyond gardens. It prevents native regeneration and is extremely difficult to eradicate.
How to remove it properly
Asparagus fern cannot be controlled by cutting or pulling alone. All underground tubers must be removed or the plant will reshoot. Loosen the soil thoroughly, then use a hand weeder to locate and extract each tuber individually. This is slow, physical work and requires follow-up. All plant material should be bagged and disposed of securely rather than composted.
Similar native alternative: Native violet (Viola hederacea)
Native violet forms soft groundcover in shaded areas without tubers, aggressive spread or long-term ecological damage.
3. Wandering Trad
About Wandering Trad
Wandering Trad is native to South America, where it grows as part of mixed forest floor vegetation. It was introduced to Australian gardens as a fast-growing, shade-tolerant groundcover that spreads easily.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia, wandering trad spreads rapidly by fragments, forming thick mats that smother the soil surface. It blocks light completely, preventing native seedlings from germinating or establishing. Even small pieces of stem can wash into creeks or bushland and start new infestations. Over time, it replaces diverse understorey plants with a single, low-value ground layer.
How to remove it properly
Wandering trad must be removed entirely, including all stems and roots. Lift whole mats carefully with a large fork, ensuring no fragments are left behind. Any broken pieces can regrow, so removal needs to be thorough. All plant material should be bagged and disposed of securely rather than composted.
Similar native alternative: Native dichondra (Dichondra repens)
Native dichondra forms a soft, spreading carpet in shaded and semi-shaded areas, allowing leaf litter, insects and native seedlings to coexist. It provides ground cover without aggressive spread.
4. Agapanthus
About Agapanthus
Agapanthus is native to Southern Africa, where it grows in open grasslands and along rocky slopes as part of mixed plant communities. It was widely introduced to Australian gardens for its bold flowers and reputation for being tough.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia, agapanthus forms dense, expanding clumps that crowd out surrounding plants and dominate the soil surface. It spreads by both seed and underground rhizomes. It suppresses native groundcovers and alters soil conditions, making natural regeneration difficult.
How to remove it properly
Agapanthus cannot be controlled by cutting back foliage alone. The entire clump must be removed, including all fleshy roots and rhizomes. Cut leaves back first with secateurs, then use a sharp spade to dig deeply around the plant and lever it out in sections. Any root fragments left behind are likely to reshoot, so thorough removal is essential.
Similar native alternative: Native Iris (Patersonia species)
Native iris produces seasonal flowers and strappy foliage similar in scale to agapanthus but integrates naturally into the landscape, supports local insects and allows surrounding plants to coexist without being crowded out.
5. Privet
About Privet
Privet is native to Europe and parts of Asia, where it grows as part of mixed woodland and hedge environments. It was widely planted in Australian gardens because it responds well to pruning and provides dense screening.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia, privet produces large quantities of berries that are eaten and spread by birds, allowing it to establish far and wide. It forms canopies that cast deep shade, suppressing native understorey plants. Privet alters soil conditions, making it easier for more privet seedlings to establish while native plants struggle to regenerate.
How to remove it properly
Small privet seedlings can be pulled by hand when the soil is moist, but established plants require tools. Cut the shrub back first using loppers or a pruning saw to reduce bulk. Then use a sharp spade to dig around the root system and lever the plant out completely. Any roots left behind can reshoot, so thorough removal is essential.
Similar native alternative: Lilly Pilly (Syzygium species)
Lilly Pilly offers similar structure and privacy, supports native birds with nutritious fruit and integrates naturally into Australian ecosystems.
Tools for Australian Gardeners
6. Gazania
About Gazania
Gazania is native to Southern Africa, where it grows in open, sandy environments alongside other hardy plants. It was widely introduced to Australian gardens as a drought-tolerant groundcover.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia, gazania spreads aggressively across open ground, dunes and coastal areas, forming dense mats that displace plants. It spreads by both seed and runners, allowing it to dominate disturbed sites and prevent native plants from re-establishing. Once established, it reduces plant diversity and alters how soil stabilises in coastal and grassland ecosystems.
How to remove it properly
Gazania must be removed entirely, including all runners and roots. Use a hand weeder or narrow trowel to loosen the soil beneath each plant, then lift it out completely, checking for trailing stems that may have rooted further along. Simply pulling plants from the surface often leaves roots behind, leading to regrowth. All plant material should be bagged and disposed of securely, with follow-up checks after rain to remove new seedlings.
Similar native alternative: Pigface (Carpobrotus species)
Pigface provides excellent ground cover, copes with heat and drought and supports native insects, while remaining part of a healthy, functioning coastal or dryland ecosystem rather than dominating it.
7. Running Bamboo
About Running Bamboo
Running Bamboo is native to parts of China and eastern Asia, where cold winters, soil conditions and natural competition limit its spread. It was introduced to Australian gardens for fast screening and a lush, evergreen look.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia, running bamboo spreads aggressively through underground rhizomes that can travel metres beyond the original planting. These rhizomes push under fences, paths and garden beds, damaging paving, edging and drainage. Once established, bamboo can dominate soil space, exclude other plants and become extremely difficult to contain.
How to remove it properly
Running bamboo cannot be removed by cutting canes alone. Wearing tough gardening gloves, start by cutting all canes back to ground level using loppers or a pruning saw. Then use a sharp spade to dig trenches around the clump and expose rhizomes. Each rhizome section must be cut out and removed completely, as any pieces left behind will reshoot.
Similar native alternative: Tall paperbarks (Melaleuca species)
Narrow-growing Melaleucas form dense vertical structure, tolerate heat and dry conditions once established and stay where they are planted. Unlike bamboo, they don’t send invasive rhizomes through neighbouring soil and instead provide long-term habitat.
8. Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
About Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue is native to West Africa, where it grows slowly in dry, rocky environments alongside other plants. It was introduced to Australian gardens and interiors as an almost indestructible ornamental.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia’s warmer regions, mother-in-law’s tongue spreads underground via thick rhizomes. It forms dense stands that replace native understorey plants and is extremely persistent. Because it survives harsh conditions, it often outcompetes native species that would normally regenerate in disturbed sites.
How to remove it properly
This plant cannot be controlled by cutting foliage alone. Use a hand weeder or narrow spade to dig out the entire underground rhizome system. Every section must be removed, as even small fragments left in the soil will reshoot. Wear gardening gloves, as repeated digging and firm roots can be abrasive.
Similar native alternative: Dianella (Dianella species)
Dianella provides strappy foliage and seasonal flowers, copes with dry conditions once established and integrates naturally into Australian landscapes without spreading aggressively or displacing surrounding plants.
9. Morning Glory
About Morning Glory
Morning Glory is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, where it grows among other climbers and vegetation. It was introduced to Australian gardens for its fast growth and showy flowers.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia, Morning Glory grows rapidly and smothers trees and shrubs, cutting off light and eventually killing them. It spreads by seed and runners and easily escapes gardens into bushland edges and waterways. Once established, it collapses plant structure and replaces diverse vegetation with dense vine growth.
How to remove it properly
Start by cutting vines back at ground level using secateurs or loppers to reduce bulk. Then use a hand weeder or spade to dig out the root system completely. Roots left behind will reshoot, so careful removal and ongoing monitoring are required.
Similar native alternative: Hardenbergia (Hardenbergia violacea)
Hardenbergia provides seasonal colour, supports native insects and climbs in a controlled way, allowing surrounding plants to survive rather than be overtaken.
10. African Love Grass
About African Love Grass
African Love Grass is native to southern Africa, where grazing pressure and competition limit its spread. It was introduced to Australia as a pasture and erosion-control grass because of its ability to survive drought and poor soils.
Why it’s so bad in Australia
In Australia, African Love Grass spreads aggressively by seed and forms dense monocultures that replace diverse native grasslands. It thrives in dry, disturbed soils and produces large quantities of long-lived seed, making it extremely persistent. Native plants struggle to re-establish once it dominates an area, leading to significant biodiversity loss.
How to remove it properly
African Love Grass must be removed before it sets seed. Use a sharp spade or mattock to dig out entire plants, including the root system. Seed heads should be bagged immediately and disposed of securely.
Similar native alternative: Kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra)
Kangaroo grass is highly drought tolerant once established, provides habitat for insects and birds and plays a critical role in healthy Australian grassland ecosystems without forming monocultures.
Why it’s worth doing the hard work
Removing invasive plants is not easy. Many of these species were chosen precisely because they are tough, persistent and able to survive neglect. Getting rid of them requires real effort, time and patience.
But the reward for removing them is immediate and lasting. Once invasive plants are gone, space, light and moisture are released back into the soil. Native plants can establish properly and maintenance becomes easier.
Replacing invasive plants with Australian natives is not just an environmental decision, it’s a practical one. Native plants are adapted to local conditions, require less long-term intervention and support birds, insects and soil life that keep gardens healthy. Each replacement reduces the chance of reinfestation.
Start with one plant, one corner or one problem area. Every invasive plant removed and replaced with a native alternative makes a genuine difference.
