Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Synonyms Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Cestrum elegans (Brongn. ex Neumann) Schltdl.

Synonyms

Habrothamus elegans Brongn. ex Neumann

Family

Solanaceae

Common Names

crimson cestrum, elegant poison-berry, purple cestrum, red cestrum

Origin

Native to Mexico.

Naturalised Distribution

Naturalised mainly in Victoria, but also occasionally found in the coastal and sub-coastal districts of central and northern New South Wales and in south-eastern Queensland.

Notes

This shrub is a significant environmental weed in Victoria, where it is actively managed by community groups. It was also recently listed as a priority environmental weed in two Natural Resource Management regions.

Red cestrum (Cestrum elegans) invades disturbed rainforest margins, moist and wet sclerophyll forests, urban bushland and creek banks. In these situations in takes over and displaces indigenous shrubs and small trees and restricts the habitat of native wildlife. In New South Wales it has also escaped from gardens in the Wollongong district, in the Southern Highlands, and at Deervale on the north coast.

Note: Plants that are slightly hairy on the tubular parts of the petals are also present amongst naturalised populations. These plants originate from horticultural hybrids of Cestrum elegans and Cestrum fasciculatum, and are generally known as Cestrum 'Newellii' or Cestrum fasciculatum 'Newellii'.