Statice: Biology, Ecology and IWM Tactics

Statice (Limonium lobatum) is a winter annual dicotyledonous weed of Mediterranean origin that has naturalised inland and along some coastal areas of southern Australia.

This herbaceous weed from the Plumbaginaceae family is often found in areas of low to moderate rainfall on sandy to loamy soils that are calcareous, sodic and of neutral to high pH.

Long-range dispersal is by seed, either through contamination of grain crops, harvest or tillage machinery, or by movement with livestock. Infestations are more common in pastures, roadsides and undisturbed habitats, however recently this weed has invaded cropping areas, particularly where crops are rotated with pasture.

In the absence of effective early control, deep-rooted statice plants can compete with crops for nutrients and moisture, reducing crop growth and yield potential. In dense stands, crop yield losses can be as high as 20 to 30%. Statice can also cause problems at harvest, with green leaf material often discolouring and contaminating grain.