Help stop African tulip

It might look pretty but the African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata), known for its striking orange-red flowers, is a fast-growing invasive weed. Since being introduced as a garden plant, it has escaped cultivation and begun invading our unique Wet Tropics rainforests.

It invades rainforest fragments, riparian zones, farmland and disturbed bushland. Cyclones Larry and Yasi opened forest canopies, creating ideal conditions for its spread.

How to identify it:

African tulip is easiest to spot when it’s in flower — typically winter and spring, but often year-round.

• Can grow to over 20 metres tall
• Wide canopy and glossy green leaves (bronze when young)
• Large orange-red, frilled flowers with yellow edges
• Long seed pods (up to 20cm) that split to release hundreds of papery, wind-dispersed seeds
• Seedlings often emerge in nearby areas and are a clear sign of infestation

Why is it a problem?

African tulip is a highly invasive plant that threatens native ecosystems:

• Outcompetes native vegetation, forming dense thickets
• Spreads aggressively via wind-blown seeds and root suckering
• Takes advantage of cyclone-damaged forests and rainforest edges
• Blocks sunlight, preventing regeneration of native understory plants
• Toxic to native stingless bees
• Challenging to control — cut stems can regrow or form roots when in contact with soil

How to control African tulip

The best way to control African tulip is for everyone to avoid planting it. But if it’s already on your land:

• Hand-pull small seedlings
• Cut and treat saplings or mature trees with herbicide (cut stump method)
• Ensure all cut stems are treated — upper stems can re-root if left on soil
  Use herbicides under Permit No. PER11463 for control of environmental weeds in non-agricultural areas
• Follow-up may be needed to prevent regrowth