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Service Notice

The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system, WAHerb, and DBCA’s flora taxonomic names application, WACensus, have been set to read-only mode since 1 October 2025. Recent taxonomic changes are not currently being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or the census. Due to the rapidly approaching holiday season and associated agency and facility soft closures, along with the substantial work involved in data mapping, cleaning, and verification, the migration to the new collection management software is not expected to occur before 1 March 2026, when a further update will be provided. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

The notice period started at 9:45 am on Friday, 12 December 2025 +08:00 and will end at 12:00 pm on Monday, 2 March 2026 +08:00.

Nicotiana glauca Graham
Tree Tobacco

Reference
Edinburgh New Philos.J. 5:175 (1828)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Alien to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Erect, spindly shrub or tree (-like), 1-6 m high. Fl. yellow, Mar or May or Aug to Dec. Sand, clay or clay loam.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 21 September 1999
Image

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Avon Wheatbelt, Carnarvon, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Hampton, Murchison, Nullarbor, Swan Coastal Plain.
IBRA Subregions
Cape Range, Eastern Goldfield, Geraldton Hills, Hampton, Katanning, Merredin, Nullarbor Plain, Perth, Recherche, Southern Cross, Western Murchison, Wooramel.
IMCRA Regions
Central West Coast, Leeuwin-Naturaliste.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Bayswater, Chittering, Cockburn, Coolgardie, Dundas, Esperance, Exmouth, Greater Geraldton, Irwin, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Meekatharra, Mosman Park, Northam, Northampton, Perth, Rockingham, Shark Bay, South Perth, Stirling, Wongan-Ballidu, Yilgarn.

Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)

General Biology. Growth form. Shrub. Reproduction. Seed. Dispersal. Water, animals. Time to first flowering. 1 year. Toxicity. Toxic to livestock and humans. Vegetative regeneration strategy. Can resprout. Seedbank persistence. Possibly 1-5 years. Fire response. Generally killed by fire.

Notes. Can hybridise with native Nicotiana species. Prolific after flooding events. Under drought conditions will die back but will resprout as soon as water becomes available.

Additional information. Origin. Argentina. History of use/introduction. Garden escape.

Suggested method of management and control. Manual removal small infestations, ensuring removal of all root material. Use cut stump application of 50% glyphosate or apply 250 ml Access® in 15 L of diesel to basal 50 cm of stem (basal bark). Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.

Management Calendar

Calendar Type Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Comments
Flowering Y Y O         O Y Y Y Y  
Optimum Treatment     Y Y Y       Y Y Y    

Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.

 

References

  • Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A Practical Guide to their Management. Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood.
  • Florentine, S.K., Westbrooke, M.E. (2005) Invasion of the noxious weed Nicotiana glauca R. Graham after an episodic flooding event in the arid zone of Australia.. Journal of Arid Environments, 60 (4): 531-545.
  • Florentine, S.K., Westbrooke, M.E., Gosney, K., Ambrose, G. & O'Keefe, M. (2006) The arid land invasive weed Nicotiana glauca R. Graham (Solanaceae): Population and soil seed bank dynamics, seed germination patterns and seedling response to flood and drought.. Journal of Arid Environments, 66 (2): 218-230.
  • Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. & Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. 2nd Edition. The Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park.
  • Navie, S. & Adkins, S. (2008) Environmental Weeds of Australia, An interactive identification and information resource for over 1000 invasive plants. Centre for Biological Information Technology, The University of Queensland.
  • Oneto, S., DiTomaso, J.M., Kyser, G.B., Garcia, S. & Hale, S. (2004) Control of tree tobacco ( Nicotiana glauca). In proceedings, California Invasive Plant Council Symposium Volume 8:2004 (ed. C. Pirosko). California Invasive Plant Council URL: http://www.cal-ipc.org/symposia/archive/pdf/18854.pdf - Accessed July 2009.
  • Richardson, F.J., Richardson, R.G. & Shepard, R.C.H. (2006) Weeds of the Southeast. An identification guide for Australia. R.G and F.G. Richardson, Meredith.