Bindii (Soliva sessilis).

Bindii aka Jo-Jo Weed or Onehunga, is a member of the Daisy family. It is famous for its tiny sharp-pointed seeds, and is a good indicator weed of compact soils.

Onehunga is an annual prostrate weed that appears from May to October, and spreads quickly. As temperatures fall in the Autumn it tends to germinate in thin or bare areas, anytime there is adequate moisture

As an annual it emerges from a previous year’s seed, grows, flowers, and produces seeds before it dies.

After you read this, you will be able to:

• Identify Bindii, Jo-Jo or Onehunga.
• Know the habitat of Bindii.
• Know the best options to control Jo-Jo.

The distribution Map is courtesy of The Living Atlas of Australia.

For more information, please check out our weed ID chart.

Bindii Identification.

Onehunga is a low-growing and fast-spreading weed, and is often confused with Carrot Weed. However, the key difference is that Carrot Weed produces pale yellow flowers on the end of stalks in the early Winter, whilst Bindii flowers much later, and has no flower stalks.

Leaves of Bindii or Soliva sessilis are shaped like parsley

It remains small and unnoticed over the Winter months. However, once the temperatures start to increase in the early Spring, Bindii bursts into life. The young plants have a low-forming rosette, and its leaves look like the leaves of carrot or parsley.

As the plant matures, the stems spread sideways, and form a low ground cover. Bindii matures very quickly, and it flowers soon after it germinates.

Its small, yellow flowers then form seedheads, and it is these that contain the small spiky seeds. Bindii produces 5 to 100 seeds per plant in the late Spring to Summer. At this stage, the seeds move by machinery, foot traffic and pets.

As the temperatures increase in the Summer, it dies out. This results in the hard prickles dropping to the soil surface. When Bindii dies off it leaves patches of bare soil, that are an ideal habitat for its own seeds to germinate and further enhance the infestation. This tends to happen when air temperatures reach 32°C.

Photosynthetic Pathway: Bindii is a C3 Weed.

Category: Jo-Jo is a Broadleaf (Dicot) weed.

Flower: Onehunga has small, bright yellow flowers that are not on stalks.

Height: Bindii grows up to 50 mm in height.

Reproduction: Bindii reproduces only by seed.

Comments: Onehunga spreads up to 150 mm and has small, parsley-like leaves.

Habitat: Jo-Jo thrives in full sun or partial shade in compact, stressed, worn, or bare areas.

• Use pre-emergents in the Autumn. These include Dithiopyr, Prodiamine, Pendimethalin, Indaziflam, and Isoxaben. You need to apply these before the Bindii seeds start to grow.
• Try and apply a pre-emergent herbicide, when the nights start to cool to around 13 to 16°C. If you apply a pre-emergent at this stage it effectively stops the Bindii seeds.
• If you miss the pre-emergent window, then your next best option is to use a post emergent. Apply these in June, July or August.

The most important factors to consider with Bindii control are:

• Apply post-emergents in the early Winter before the Bindii flowers and seeds. At this stage the weed is small and easy to control. It also hasn’t yet got any spine-tipped burrs.
• Once the burrs form control is difficult.
• Control is not impossible in September, October and November. However, the spines will have already formed by this time, and will remain after the weed dies.
• Once the weed matures, you may need to make multiple herbicide applications, which increases the chances of turf grass injury.
• Treatment is best over the entire area rather than spot treating. The Bindii is dead 7-10 days after you spray.

There are several post-emergents for Bindii:

• 2,4-D.
• Dicamba. Do not use Dicamba on Buffalo grass.
• Duke 100WG.
• ProForce Recondo.
• Warhead Trio.
• Casper Herbicide. Do not use Casper on Buffalo grass.
• Contra M. Do not use Contra M on Buffalo grass.
• Pylex. Do not use on warm season turf.
• Quali-pro Negate.