This poster is about a fast growing alien invassive weed, Pompom. The aim of creating this poster was to create awareness to the public about Pompom. Help the people to recognize it, control it and/or report it to the relevant organisations.

1. POMPOM WEED
(Campuloclinium macrocephalum)
Why should the Pompom Weed be controlled?
Under Section 15A of the Conservation of Agricultural
Resources Ac t (CARA) 43 of 1983, as amended in 2001, the
Pompom Weed has been declared as a category 1 weed. This
classification means that it may not occur anywhere and must
be controlled by the land user. It may also not be propagated,
imported, acquired and or sold.
Dispersion Mechanism
 Wind is the most agent of its dispersal.
 Animal and humans as they walk in the field
the seed attaches to the animals fur and/or
attaches to the mud cover boots as human
walk in the field.
 Water during the rainy times will flood way
the fallen seeds.
 Not correctly disposing the controlled plants
(seed) in a well closed up container or bag
will further spread the plant.
Effective Control Measure & Tools
to do that
 Identify the plant before it flowers and
uproot it completely with a garden fork.
 When is already at flowering stage, cut it at
the base and treat it with a herbicide (e.g.
Brush-off herbicide). But there is Plenum,
Access and Climax as registered herbicides.
 When it is dry, have a scissor and a bag at
hand, cut the bunch of dry flowers into the
bag so it does not have a chance to wither
and disperse. Cut and treat the stem
afterward the dry flower is off the plant.
Pompom Weeds begin to germinate or regrow early in
summer and live through to Autumn, so be ready to weed.
WHERE TO REPORT ITS SIGHTINGS
Phone or email SANBI on the following:
 alienplants@sanbi.org.za
 031 201 9091
The Pompom Weed is an erect perennial plant with green stems up to 1,3m in height. During winter this plant dies back to its root
stock. Its pink flower heads are surrounded by purple bracts in compact heads which appear between December and March. Each
individual can produce large quantities of viable seeds, it can also regenerate from underground rhizomes. The Pompom Weed is
native to Central and South America.
Why is the Pompom Weed a problem?
It has the potential to rapidly invade any suitable areas and as a
result causes serious degradation of the veld by lowering the
biodiversity and reducing the grazing capacity of the area.
Current Known Distribution in the Country
 Gauteng (Pretoria with the highest density).
 Mpumalanga
 Limpopo
 North West
 KwaZulu-Natal
 Eastern Cape
 and Free State
Roots Leaves Flowers Dry flowers
Infestation