December 8, 2022
Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) also known as old man’s beard, is a hanging plant without roots.
It has naturalised on the far north coast of NSW and on Lord Howe Island.
It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of America.
It has become an emerging threat, damaging trees and biodiversity in the Hunters Hill local government area.
Our Council is asking residents to prevent the spread of this plant to adjoining areas.
Like other Sydney Councils, Hunter’s Hill Council is preventing it from spreading into high conservation lands including bushland.
Spanish Moss is subject to the General Biosecurity Duty under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015:
“All plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable”.
Further information can be found at https://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/Weeds/SpanishMoss
22 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill NSW 2110
PO Box 21, Hunters Hill NSW 2110
Tel: (02) 9879 9400
E: customerservice@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
ABN: 75 570 316 011
We acknowledge that The Wallumedegal people of the Eora Nation are the Traditional Custodians of this land.
