Paterson's Curse

Echium plantagineum

Quick facts

Status

Declared Pest (s22) Exempt

Life Cycle

Annual

Growth Form

Herb

Origin

Mediterranean region, northern Africa

Flowers

Purple

Primary Reproduction

Seed

Toxicity

Toxic to livestock

Names

Other Common Names: Salvation Jane, Blueweed, Lady Campbell, Riverina Bluebell, Purple Viper's-Bugloss

Form and function

Echium plantagineum is an annual herbaceous weed in the forget-me-not family Boraginaceae. Plant height ranges from 0.1m to 1.2m. It forms a stout taproot with numerous lateral roots.

It reproduces by seed, most of which will germinate within 2 years, but can persist for up to 6 years in the soil. Smoke from fire may stimulate seedling emergence.

Flowers

Usually purple (occasionally blue, pink or white)
Tubular and curved, trumpet‑shaped
About 20 to 30 mm long
Borne along one side of a short curved or coiled stem
Five petals fused into a tube
Five stamens present
Two stamens longer than the others and extending beyond the flower tube

Seeds

Fruit made up of a cluster of four seeds.
Each seed 2 to 3 mm long.
Seeds are brown, grey or black with a rough, wrinkled and pitted surface.
Seeds enclosed by five bristly bracts.

Leaves

Basal leaves form a rosette.
Rosette leaves egg to oval shaped (50-250 mm long and 15-100 mm wide)
Rounded tips.
Stem leaves are smaller and narrower than rosette leaves.
Stem leaves are alternately arranged, without stalks and sometimes clasping the stem.
All the leaves are hairy.

Habitat

More common in areas with higher winter rainfall, this species has a broad tolerance to different climates and soil types, allowing it to grow across much of Australia. It occurs in warm temperate regions with Mediterranean or semi-arid climates and is typically found in sandy soils and disturbed habitats, including degraded bushland, roadsides, and tracks through native vegetation.

How does it spread?

Seed is dispersed by water movement, machinery, animals, and contaminated hay and grain.

It is thought that Echium plantagineum was first introduced in the late 1800s by accidental means when Merino sheep were first imported from the plant's native range.

It was named "Paterson's curse" after its rapid and widespread dispersal through Australia by keen gardeners sending packets of seed in the mail.

Why is it a weed?

Paterson's curse outcompetes native vegetation and degrades natural habitats.

It is also a problematic pasture weed as it can form dense monocultures and can be toxic to livestock if consumed in large amounts due to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

May be confused with...

Similar non-native species: Viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare) and Italian bugloss (E. italicum)

Paterson's curse is very similar to viper's bugloss (E. vulgare) which can be distinguished by its mostly unbranched stems and blue flowers comparted to the Patterson's curse much-branched stems and purple flowers. Relatively similar to Italian bugloss (E. italicum).

How to control

It is essential to develop an integrated weed management plan when dealing with Paterson's curse to prevent seed set and reduce populations in the long term.

Physical

Isolated plants or patches can be physically or mechanically removed.

Hand-weed: Before the Paterson‘s curse begins to flower, hand weed or dig plants out using a hoe or shovel, ensuring that 20 to 40mm of taproot is removed. Paterson’s curse does not regenerate from small root segments left in the ground. If removal occurs after flowering, it is important that plants are removed from the site prior to the seeds dropping to prevent viable seed adding to the seedbank.

Slashing: Regular slashing can be used as a short-term control tool and should be used in combination with other control methods. Slashing does not kill Paterson’s curse but can delay flowering. The plants need to be slashed regularly (fortnightly or monthly) during flowering as they regrow quickly from the crown after slashing and slashing can cause out of season flowering and seed production.

Chemical

When most seed has germinated for the year, apply a mix of with 0.5g chlorsulfuron (750g/kg) and 25mL of wetting agent with 10L of water, using a foliar application method, ensuring full leaf coverage.

To actively growing plants, apply a mix of 5-7mL of glyphosate (360g/L) with 1L of water using a foliar application method, ensuring full leaf coverage. Use the lower rate on weeds up to 15cm tall and increase to the higher rate where weeds are over 15cm tall.

Managerial

Isolated plants can be burnt if flowering or seeding. Burning will kill seeds on the surface but can stimulate others to germinate. Although it can help control some infestations, it may not be a suitable option for bushland infestations and most likely, follow up treatment of herbicides will be required.

Biological

Seven insects that attack all stages of Paterson’s curse have been released in Australia and are established in the field except for the root hair flea beetle (Longitarsus aeneus) which was released but did not establish. These insects attack the plant at all stages of growth. These include the Echium leaf-mining moth (Dialectica scalariella) (top image), which reduces plant competitiveness by mining leaves, the Paterson's Curse Crown Weevil (Mogulones larvatus) (bottom image) and root weevil (Mogulones geographicus), whose larvae damage root crowns and taproots, often killing plants, two flea beetles (Longitarsus echii established, L. aeneus failed), which feed on rosette leaves and roots, the stem beetle (Phytoecia coerulescens), which bores into stems and the pollen beetle (Meligethes planiusculus), which destroys flower buds and seeds. Together these insects weaken Paterson’s curse by reducing growth, reproduction and survival.

Image credits

Basal rosette © Russell Cumming

Echium leaf-mining moth (Dialectica scalariella) © insectid

References

Atlas of Living Australia. (n.d.). Echium plantagineum L. Atlas of Living Australia.

Brown, K., & Brooks, K. J. (2003) Bushland weeds: a practical guide to their management With case studies from the Swan Coastal Plain and beyond. Environmental Weeds Action Network

McLarty, A., Kruger, E., Stubbs, P., Peirce, J., Hawkins, C., Wilson, P., & Merewether, S. (2001) Paterson's curse management handbook. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Naughton, M., Kidston, J., Sullivan, P., & Bourke, C. (2006) Patersons Curse. PrimeFacts, 109

NSW Government. (2019) Paterson’s curse (Echium plantagineum). NSW WeedWise

Weeds of Australia. (n.d.) Echium plantagineum L. Weeds of Australia; Lucidcentral.

Western Australian Herbarium (1998–) Florabase—the Western Australian flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

Xiaocheng Zhu, David Gopurenko, Dominik Skoneczny, Brendan J. Lepschi, Mark A. Spencer, Geoff M. Gurr, Ragan M. Callaway, Miguel Serrano and Leslie A. Weston (2016). Introduction of Paterson’s curse (Echium plantagineum) to Australia – unravelling the story by DNA sequence analysis. 20th Australasian Weeds Conference Proceedings, pp.157-161.

Life Cycle

	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC	Notes
Germination
Active Growth
Flowering
Fruiting

Regularly or most commonly

Occasionally, given suitable conditions

Management

	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC	Notes
Hand removal													Remove prior to seed set.
Slashing													Slash during or just prior to flowering.
Foliar spray													Apply during active growth, after most seeds have germinated.

Optimal

Potentially, but conditionally dependent

Not likely but conditionally dependant

Last updated: September 2026

Paterson's Curse

Quick facts

Names