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NQ DRY TROPICS WEED FREE
ITCH GRASS
Rottboellia cochinchinensis
DESCRIPTION
Erect annual perennial grass grows to 3 metres . It is also a free-floating water weed .
Stems are cylindrical , hollow and branched from the upper nodes .
Leaves are arranged opposite each other on the stem . They are flat and blue-green in colour and are covered in stiff hairs .
Flower heads branch from the upper nodes and have spikes that are up to 10 centimetres long . It flowers during spring and summer .
Habitat itch grass is usually found in stands of sugarcane or around headlands in Queensland .
Weed characteristics stiff hairs cause irritation to pedestrians moving through it . It is an aggressive perennial grass that is highly adaptable to land and water .
Dispersal seeds are the only means of propagation .
ITCH GRASS
GRASSES
BIOSECURITY MATTER
This species is not listed under Queensland Legislation however it is locally declared within the Whitsundays Regional Council and Burdekin Shire Council areas . Control is highly recommended .
HOW TO ACT
This plant can be controlled by spot spraying with an appropriate herbicide . Painting the foliage with a wiper covered in chemical-soaked wick or carpet may be an effective treatment if growth rates are appropriate .