Scroll down the page a little for links to pdf weed information display sheets with descriptions and photographs of some of the weeds that are found at Oakley Creek.
And, if you would like more information on weeds, in general, check out Weedbusters and the Landcare Research’s Key to the weed species of New Zealand.
The material is free to use for non-commercial purposes with acknowledgement of Friends of Oakley Creek. A donation to Friends of Oakley Creek, if the user is in a position to give one, would be welcome.
Over the years, it is estimated that 25,000 plant species have been introduced by people into New Zealand. About every 39 days, one of these species will escape into the wild and 1/4 of these escapees will become problem weeds. Weeds threaten our ecosystems by altering their structure and composition, by changing the nutrient status of soils and by affecting hydrological regimes. These effects remain, even if the weeds are successfully eradicated. Weeds in New Zealand are a ticking timebomb, according to Lynley Hayes, Programme Leader, Biocontrol of Weeds, Landcare Research, who spoke on National Radio about the ticking timebomb that weeds pose in New Zealand. You can hear it again here.
Arundo grass, giant reed Arundo donax
Bindweed, convolvulus Calystegia sepium
Blue morning glory Ipomoea indica
Brush wattle, shrub wattle, acacia Paraserianthes lophantha
Chinese privet Ligustrum sinense
Climbing asparagus Asparagus scandens
Climbing dock, rambling dock Acetosa sagittata
Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica
Madeira vine, mignonette vine Anredera cordifolia
Moth plant, moth vine, kapok vine Araujia sericifera syn. A. hortorum
Onion weed, three-cornered garlic Allium triquetrum
Palm grass, bristlegrass Setaria palmifolia
Wandering jew, wandering willie Tradescantia fluminensis
Tutsan, sweet amber Hypericum androsaemum
Wild ginger, kahili ginger Hedychium gardnerianum
Woolly nightshade, tobacco weed Solanum mauritianum
Plant Me Instead is the title of a useful book and also a series of booklets produced by the Department of Conservation for several regions in New Zealand including the Waikato, and these contain much information that is applicable to Auckland. Common invasive weeds are described and then there is a list of native and some non-invasive introduced plants that could be used to replace that weed. All the plants are clearly illustrated with colour photographss.
For example, suggested replacements for the Moth plant / cruel vine are: Three Kings vine Tecomanthe speciosa, Puawananga Clematis paniculata and Small White Clematis Clematis forsteri. And suggested replacements for arundo grass are: the wetland rushes, Juncus pallidus, J. gregiflorus, and Baumea articulata; the giant umbrella sedge, Cyperus ustulatus; the reed, oioi, Apodasmia similis; the grass, pukio, Carex secta; and the NZ flax, harakeke Phormium tenax – plants which, in this case, are all natives.
Several regional Plant Me Instead booklets are available to download for free online, and a book that is written for the lower North Island is available for loan from Auckland Libraries, call number 632.5 P71.
