Ageratum adenophora: Common Names -Mistflower - Mexican Devil - Crofton Weed - Eupatory - Sticky Snakeroot. A herbaceous perennial plant which grows to 2 metres high. The small compound flowers occur in late spring and summer, and are found in clusters at the end of branches similar to the Blue Ageratum bedding plant, but A adenopora is creamy white in colour. The small brown seeds are spread by its white feathery parachute, with the aid of the wind. It can completely smother native plant communities, and has been known to cause sediment build-up in streams. These photographs were taken on the Western Hills side bank of the Waiarohia Stream where it is speading quickly. It is now a major pest in Northland (see also invasive plants)
Allium triquetrum: Commonly known as Onion Weed or Three-cornered Garlic or Wild Garlic. A bulbous plant in the Onion family. Overseas common names include wild garlic and three-cornered leek. A. triquetrum is native to south-western Europe, north-western Africa, Madeira and the Canary Islands, where it grows in meadows, woodland clearings, on river banks and roadside verges from sea level to an altitude of 850 metres (2,790 ft) It has also been introduced to New Zealand and Australia. Common in damp or shaded gardens, parkland, roadsides and riverbanks. It grows from an underground bulb, its leaves have a strong onion smell when crushed. They can be used in salads and sandwiches when young, buy become stringy when older. If eaten by cows, the milk will be tainted. Three-cornered Garlic referes to the triangular stems. It flowers from October to November
Arctotis stoechadifolia: Common Name Arctotis - Originally Arctotis was grown in flower gardens and parks, however, it soon spread to other rural and country areas and is now commonly found along roadsides, coastal cliffs and even sandunes in the North Island, particularly in Northland, where the climate is more suited to this South African native. If flowers from November to March, can vary in colour from yellow, through orange to brick red.It is similar to the Gazania, however, the Gazania has a black base to the petal of the flower.
Bellis perennis: Common Daisy - Found in lawns and pastures all across New Zealand. It likes a rich soil, and the crown of the daisy hugs the ground so that it is not affected by lawn mowing, however, lawns can be treated with Sulphate of Ammonia to alter the PH, a practise often employed in sports grounds and race tracks. It can be found along roadsides, streams and bush edges. Rlowers are white. They open during sunlight and turn to follow the sun, closing in the evening. The seed can be spread by ants. In the old days settlers used the bruised leaves to help heal wounds, and whisky was made from the flowers. The children of settlers would make a daisy chain by splitting the stalk end and threading another flower stem through, repeating the process, making anula or garland of flowers. Originally from Europe and Asia, it flowers Septrmber to March. There are hybrid Bellis perennis available for the home garden, but it is not recommended as they can seed back to the original form.
Borage is also known as a starflower. Belonging to the family Boriginaceae, It is an annual herb native to the Mediterranean region and has naturalized in New Zealand. It grows very well in Northland, and if grown for culinary purposes, will self-seed from year to year. The leaves are edible and the plant is grown in gardens for that purpose in some parts of Europe. Flowers are used in cake decoration, and look very good when frozen. The plant is also commercially cultivated for borage seed oil extracted from its seeds.
Carpobrotus species: Common name - Ice Plant, or Highway Ice Plant, Pigface or Hottentot Fig. The name Hotentot Fig comes from the fact that the fruits were eaten by the Hotentot people.. Carpobrotus species are native to South Africa where they are also known as the sour fig. Another species comes from Chile and California, C aequilaterus. In New Zealand they can be seen hanging from cliff faces or sprawling over sand dunes. They are also planted to hold railway cuttings or roadside banks. There are two main species in New Zealand, C. aequilaterus and C. edulis, from South Africa. Flowers appear from October to February. There is also a more delecate New Zealand native ice plant which has smaller flowers, white to pale pink.
Centranthus ruber: Common Names, Valerian; Red Valerian, Spur Valerian, or Jupiter's Beard. Introduced from Europe where it is a popular garden plant grown for its ornamental flowers of red to pink and sometimes white. In some parts the young leaves are eaten, but they are rather bitter. C. ruber is now common throughout most of New Zealand, where it grows in rock walls and on roadsides and cliff faces. Parachute seeds are carried on the wind and flowers are pollinated by Butterflies and moths, or other long-tongued insects. Photographs taken below Riverside Road, Whangarei, beside the boatsheds. Still grown in gardens in some parts of New Zealand but listed as an invasive species in Northland. Flowers appear from November to June, and are pollinated by butterflies and moths. Originally from Europe.
Cirsium vulgare: Common Name Scotch Thistle - Cirsium vulgare (Spear Thistle) is a species of the genus Cirsium, common throughout New Zealand on roadsides and clearings. It was originally introduced by Scottish pioneers as a flowering garden plant, hence the name Scotch Thistle. It is also naturalised in North America and Australia and is as an invasive weed in Northland New Zealand. Umbrella seeds are spread by the wind. Flowers from November to March.
Crepis capillaris: Common Name, Hawksbeard. Common in gardens and farmland. Very hardy and will grow in the cracks of concrete paths or brick or stone walls and poor soil. The leaves are smooth, flower-heads small, branched so that they are multi-flowered and leafy. It was thought that Hawks got their good eyesight from the juice of this plant, hence the common name. Parachute-like seeds are carried by wind. Originally from Europe, it flowers from September to march.
Crocosmia x crocosmaflora: Common Name Montbretia. Found on roadsides and beside streams throughout New Zealand, there are red and orange forms of this of this 'Pest Plant', the common name of which is Montbretia. A small genus of flowering plants belonging to the iris family, Iridaceae. It is native to the grasslands of South Africa. This pest species multiplies by seed and underground corms. It invades bush and grass areas crowding out native species or cultivated plants. It is know to cause erosion of stream banks due to the masses of spreading corms. Shown in the picture left, is Crocosmia growing on the bank in Manse Street.
Daucus carota: Common Name Wild Carrot. Commonly called wild carrot in the U.K. Australia & New Zealand. Other common names are Bird's Nest, Bishop's Lace, and Queen Anne's Lace (North America) A flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to temperate regions of Europe, southwest Asia and naturalised to North America, New Zealand and Australia. Domesticated carrots were hybridised from D. carota and D. sativus. Waist high growth is common along roadsides and railway lines in the north of New Zealand. It thrives in poor, dry soil. Is sometimes confused with Hemlock (Conium maculatum). Flowers appear from August to may. Originally from Europe and North Africa. Picture taken in Whangarei growing in conjunction with Scotch Thistle and Solanum. The feathery foliage of D. carota can be best seen bottom left of the picture.
Erigeron karvinskianus: Common Name Mexican Daisy - Early srttlers planted the Mexican Daisy for its flowers, especially as a rock garden plant, but it soon spread to become a pedt plant. It is now to be found along country roads, cliffs and banks, and inner-city banks and empty spaces. It is suited to steamsides and roadsides, all over the Northland region. Its seeds are spread by wind. If you crush the leaves they omit a mango scent. Flowers are pink and white, from September to May. It is native to Mexico.
Geranium purpureum: Common Name - Small Herb Robert. Very common in the Northland area, this wild flower likes shady places, along roadsides and edges of forests and in gardens. It has a strong scent. The name Robert coming from the Greek, Ruberta, meaning red, the colour of this plant when grown in direct sunlight. Flowers appear from September to January. Native to Europe and Africa. Photograph taken in Western Hills Drive, Whangarei.
Ipomoea indica: Common Name, Blue Morning Glory. Morning Glory is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the Convolvulus family (Convolvulaceae). A fast growing climber, originally planted in gardens, in fact as few as 35-years ago you could still buy the seeds of this plant in Yates seed packets. I has now become an invasive species, especially in the North Island of New Zealand, where it can take over areas of bush, strangling native trees to death. The red flower buds open into deep blue flowers, which turn purple. New flowers open every day, and it flowers all the year. Originally from the tropics, it was first noticed growing wild in New Zealand in 1950. The picture was taken in the Waiarohia Reserve in Whangarei and shows the new and old flowers.
Lathyrus latifolius: Common Name - Perennial Peavine, Perennial Pea, or Everlasting Sweet Pea. A flowering plant of the genus Lathyrus , of the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe but grows wild throughout New Zealand and some offshore islands, where it is an introduced species.
Leucanthemum vulgare: Common Name - Ox-Eye Daisy. Common in Northland along grass verges and roadsides, farmland, riverbanks and railway lines. Gradually creeping into the outskirts of the Scenic Reserves. L. vulgare likes poor soil. The flowers are white, slightly scented. Photograph taken late November in Whangarei's Quarry Arts Centre.
Linaria purpure: Common Name - Purple Linaria or Purple Toadflax. A species of flowering plant in the plantain family. It is native to Italy, but it can be found growing wild as an introduced species in parts of New Zealand. It was originally cultivated as an ornamental plant, but can now be found on footpaths, roadsides,, rocky banks, yards and railway tracks. A perennial herb growing 30 to 70 centimeters tall with linear leaves 2 to 5 centimeters in length. The inflorescence is a raceme of flowers occupying the top of the stem. The flower is between 1 and 2 centimeters long, and is light to medium purple in colour.
Lotus pedunculatus (formerly Lotus uliginosus), Common Name - Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil or Marsh Bird's-foot . Trefoil is a member of the family, Fabaceae. It is a perennial growing in open locations. Was once planted in farmland to improve soil or along road-side banks, but is now common in the wild. Name birdsfoot trefoil comes from the clusters of long seed pods which spread out like a bird's foot (see photograph). Originally from Europe, Asia and North Africa, it was introduced by early farmers to improve the soil on former gum land. It grows 20–80 cm (8–30 in) tall, with leaflets 10–25 mm (0.4–1 in) long and 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) broad. Five to twelve golden-yellow flowers 10–18 mm (0.4–0.7 in) long are borne in an umbel at the tip of the upright stem, from November to January, in Northland. Photograph taken in Third Avenue, Whangarei. N.B. A close relation; L. suaveolens, is a hairy, smaller version, commonly called Hairy trefoil.
Myosotis sylvatica : Common Name, Wood Forget-me-not, or just Forget-me-not. A species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, native to Europe. Originally introduced into New Zealand as a garden flower, the plant adapted to New Zealand conditions and is now common on roadsidfes and forest paths where there is some shade. The common name is thought to refer to the fact that around the 16th century, young lovers used to wear the blue flowers. It flowers all of the year. It is a short-lived herbaceous perennial or biennial growing to 12–30 cm (5–12 in) tall by 15 cm (6 in) wide, with hairy leaves and a profusion of disc-shaped, intensely blue, or occasionally white, flowers in Spring. Photograph taken in Cafler Park, Whangarei. There is a species native to New Zealand, which is an alpine plant, M. colensoi.
Persicaria capitata : Common Name Pink Knotweed, Japanese Knotweed or Pink Bubble Persicaria. Originally grown in New Zealand as an ornamental ground cover plant. A member of the Persicaria genus in the Polygonaceae family. More commonly known as Polygonum in New Zealand.
Thunbergia alata: Common Name, Black Eyed Susan. Thunbergia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia. Its members are known by various names, including thunbergias; Thunbergia alata is often known as Black-eyed Susan vine or just Black-eyed Susan. Thunbergia species are vigorous annual or perennial vines and shrubs growing to 2-8 m tall. Some are frequent garden escapes, becoming invasive species; they are regarded as environmental threats in Australia, for example.
Trifolium repens: White clover (also known as Dutch clover). A species of clover native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia. It has been widely introduced worldwide as a pasture crop, and is now also common in most grassy areas of North America and New Zealand. Originally planted for grazing animals and to improve the soil, but now found creeping in lawns, gardens and other areas. T. repens does not like shade. Flowers appear from July to March.
Tropaeolum majus : Common Name - Garden Nasturtium, Indian Cress or Monks Cress. A flowering plant in the family Tropaeolaceae, which is native to the Andes from Bolivia north to Colombia. It was introduced into New Zealand as a garden flower. A hybrid cultivar, its parentage is unclear, but with possible parent species including T. minus, T. moritzianum, T. peltophorum, and T. peregrinum. It is not closely related to the genus Nasturtium, which includes watercress, but like watercress it is used as a food source in some countries. T majus is common in Auckland, Northland and other warm lowland and coastal North Island waste places, roadsides and moist, shaded places. In Northland it has become an invasive species.
Verbena bonariensis: Common Name - Purple Top. Verbena bonariensis is also known as purpletop vervain, tall verbena, clustertop vervain, or pretty verbena. A member of the verbenafamily it was originally cultivated as a flowering annual or herbaceousperennial plant. It is now commonlt found along roadsides in the North of the North Island of New Zealand and gan reach shoulder height. It is native to tropical South America where it grows throughout most of the warm regions, from Colombia and Brazil to Argentina and Chile
Vinca major: Common name, Periwinkle - Fairy's Tooth Brush - Bigleaf Periwinkle - Large Periwinkle - Greater Periwinkle and Blue Periwinkle. Originally introduced as a garden plant for ground-cover, it quickly adapted to New Zealand conditions, to become common throughout the country in shaded areas, on banks, or beneath trees. A species of flowering creeper belonging to the family Apocynaceae, its creeping stems send out roots as the plant spreads. It is native to the western Mediterranean. Growing to 25 cm (10 in) tall and spreading indefinitely, it is an evergreen perennial that is now an invasive species, along with the smaller leafed V. minor. Photographs taken in Manse Street, Whangarei, below Girl's High School.