We are pleased to announce a new 2 year conservation project funded by Terrain NRM and the Queensland Government’s Natural Resource Management Expansion Program that will tackle one of the Wet Tropics’ emerging environmental weeds: African Tulip (Spathodea campanulata).
Working alongside private landholders, the project will target African tulip infestations across more than 19 hectares of important habitat in the Maria Creeks area. The work will focus on identifying, treating and removing African tulip trees before they become more widespread and difficult to control.
Originally introduced as an ornamental garden tree because of its striking orange-red flowers, African tulip has escaped cultivation and is now invading rainforest fragments, waterways, disturbed bushland and agricultural land throughout the Wet Tropics. The species spreads rapidly through wind-dispersed seeds and can quickly outcompete native vegetation, forming dense stands that prevent native rainforest plants from regenerating. The flowers are also known to be toxic to native stingless bees.
Following major cyclone events (eg. Larry and Yasi), African tulip has expanded significantly across the region, taking advantage of canopy openings and disturbed rainforest edges. It is now recognised as a priority environmental weed in the Cassowary Coast.
The new project will see C4 working directly with private landholders throughout the Maria Creeks catchment to assess infestations, undertake control works and provide advice on long-term management. By reducing African tulip populations now, the project aims to prevent further spread into neighbouring rainforest and riparian habitats that support cassowaries and many other native species.
The project forms part of broader efforts across the Wet Tropics to improve forest resilience, restore habitat quality and reduce the impacts of invasive species on native ecosystems.
Do you have African tulip on your property?
African tulip trees can grow more than 20m tall and are most easily identified by their large orange-red flowers, glossy green leaves and long seed pods.
They are commonly found along waterways, rainforest edges, roadsides and in older gardens. And, right now is a good time to spot them as they are flowering!
If you think you may have African tulip on your property and would like assistance identifying or managing the species, we’d love to hear from you – hello@cassowaryconservation.org