Plants Containing DMT in Australia: Botanical Reality, Legal Status, and Scientific Research

The connection between Australia’s iconic wattle trees and dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is one of the most striking intersections of botany and psychedelic science. Acacia species across Australia contain DMT, yet the compound remains a Schedule 9 prohibited substance. Consequently, understanding this botanical reality requires navigating both the science of Acacia chemistry and the strict legal framework that governs DMT in Australia.

The Botanical Reality: DMT in Australian Acacia

Australia is a global centre of diversity for the Acacia genus. Western Australia alone hosts 894 species of Acacia naturally found across the state. This extraordinary botanical richness has made Australian wattle a subject of significant scientific interest.

Documented DMT-Containing Species

Research has progressively mapped which Acacia species contain DMT. A landmark 2024 study analysed 104 plant samples representing 79 Acacia species. The findings determined 51 DMT-containing species, 41 of which were previously unknown to contain the psychedelic.

Early research from the 1960s established the presence of DMT in specific species. Acacia maidenii was first recognised in 1965 when its bark was found to contain DMT. Two years later, in 1967, the leaves of Acacia phlebophylla were found to yield about 0.3% of DMT. Other species with documented DMT content include Acacia obtusifolia (0.4-0.5% total alkaloids in dried bark), Acacia longifolia (0.2% DMT in plant), and Acacia victoriae (contains 5-MeO-alkyltryptamine).

A more recent 2026 pilot study screened phyllodes (modified leaves) from specimens of 148 different Acacia species both natural and introduced to Western Australia. The research found that phyllodes from some species contained DMT, other tryptamines, β-carbolines, and phenylethylamines.

Chemical Complexity of Australian Acacia

Chemical analysis has unequivocally demonstrated the presence of tryptamines (i.e., DMT), β-carbolines, histamines, and phenethylamines in Australian Acacia species. The three psychotropic alkaloids in Acacia are NMT, DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT. These structures differ according to a methoxy group (DMT vs. 5-MeO-DMT) or the number of methyl groups attached to the ethylamine. DMT and 5-MeO-DMT have two methyl groups, NMT has one, and tryptamine has none. These methyl groups play a significant role in the psychedelic effects of these tryptamine derivatives.

Interestingly, the Australian species appear more chemically similar to Vachellia and Senegalia from the Americas than to their African counterparts. A key distinction from the more well-known ayahuasca brew is that Australian Acacia species may contain both tryptamines and β-carbolines within a single specimen. These are the two chemical families required for ayahuasca’s synergistic effects, which traditionally requires two different plant species.

The Conservation Concern: Clandestine Extraction

The presence of DMT in Australian wattle has created a significant law enforcement and conservation challenge. The first law enforcement attendance at a DMT clandestine extraction laboratory in Western Australia occurred in 2008. Since then, detection of this type of lab has steadily increased to the point where they are now the most frequently attended clandestine laboratories in WA.

DMT is typically extracted from the bark of locally occurring wattle trees through a relatively simple process, often achieved using improvised equipment. This practice causes significant environmental damage. Ringbarking trees kills them, and destroying native flora is illegal in itself. As Dr Kelly Shepherd from the WA Herbarium explains, “From a conservation angle, ringbarking trees kills them. Even before you get to extracting an A-class drug, damaging native flora is an offence in itself.”

The Legal Status: Schedule 9 Prohibition

Despite its natural occurrence in Australian flora, DMT is a Schedule 9 prohibited substance under the Australian Poisons Standard. This classification places it in the highest category of restriction, reserved for substances with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

The Office of Drug Control explicitly lists DMT as a controlled substance requiring both an import licence and an import permit. The possession, use, manufacture, supply, importation, or exportation of ayahuasca—more specifically DMT—is illegal across all States and Territories in Australia, carrying significant criminal penalties.

Penalties escalate dramatically based on quantity. In New South Wales, the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 classifies DMT as a prohibited drug:

• Possession: Maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and/or a $2,200 fine
• Supply (small quantity, 0.8 grams): $5,500 fine and/or 2 years imprisonment (Local Court), or $220,000 fine and/or 15 years imprisonment (District Court)
• Supply (commercial quantity, 0.5 kg): $385,000 fine and/or 20 years imprisonment
• Supply (large commercial quantity, 2 kg): $550,000 fine and/or life imprisonment

Similar prohibitions apply across other Australian jurisdictions. Victoria criminalises DMT under the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981. Queensland enforces its prohibitions through the Drugs Misuse Act 1986. Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and the ACT all have similar legislation.

Notably, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has decriminalised the possession of small amounts of some illicit drugs. However, this has not extended to DMT.

Legitimate Research: Acacia-Derived DMT in Clinical Trials

Despite the legal prohibitions, legitimate research into Australian Acacia-derived DMT is advancing. The Australia Psychedelic Report 2026 confirms that Australian clinical and institutional activity broadens across psilocybin, ketamine, DMT-harmala and 5-MeO-DMT work. Newer local work includes a DMT-harmala phase 1 study and Australian participation in 5-MeO-DMT development.

A study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry investigated oral Acacia-based formulations in healthy volunteers. The formulations were produced at NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University. The research assessed the safety, tolerability, and psychedelic effects of these Acacia-derived preparations.

Dr Daniel Perkins from the University of Melbourne published the first clinical trial of DMT made from Australian acacia plants, prepared in a CSIRO facility. The study involved nine healthy volunteers. However, Perkins notes that his team has moved to synthetic DMT for future research. “We want this to be medicine that’s used by millions of people around the world. That would be very hard to do with a botanical product.”

Conclusion

The relationship between Australian Acacia and DMT is complex and multifaceted. Over 50 Acacia species have been confirmed to contain DMT, with 41 of these discoveries made only recently. Documented species include Acacia maidenii, Acacia phlebophylla, Acacia obtusifolia, and Acacia longifolia, among others.

Yet this botanical reality exists alongside strict legal prohibitions that classify DMT as a Schedule 9 substance. The clandestine extraction of DMT from Australian wattle causes significant environmental harm and has become the most common type of clandestine laboratory in Western Australia. Meanwhile, legitimate research continues to explore the therapeutic potential of Acacia-derived compounds within regulated scientific frameworks.

For Australians interested in this topic, the responsible path involves supporting clinical research and respecting the legal framework that protects both public safety and Australia’s unique botanical heritage. The wattle trees that define the Australian landscape hold remarkable chemical secrets, but unlocking them must occur within the boundaries of the law.