biodiversity threat - Troppo - Plants that Make you Happy

13 Feb

Holly Havoc: The Invasive Charm of Ilex aquifolium & Ilex cornuta in New Zealand

June 24, 2024
By Troppo
5 comments

Greetings, fellow garden enthusiasts and nature warriors! 🌿 Today, we’re uncovering the prickly truth about Holly – specifically, Ilex aquifolium (English Holly) and Ilex cornuta (Chinese Holly). These festive-looking plants may conjure up images of holiday cheer with their spiky leaves and bright r...

20 Dec

The Weed Files

Beware the Beauty: The Invasive Charm of Bear’s Breeches in New Zealand

June 24, 2024
By Troppo
5 comments

Hey there, nature protectors and plant aficionados! 🌿 Have you ever encountered the striking Bear's Breeches, or Acanthus mollis, in your garden or local wild spaces? This plant, with its bold foliage and towering flower spikes, might look like a garden superstar. But behind its stunning appearance ...

04 Dec

The Weed Files

The Tangled Tale of Old Man’s Beard: An Invasive Invader in New Zealand

June 24, 2024
By Troppo
5 comments

Hello, fellow nature lovers and weed warriors! 🌿 Today, we’re unraveling the story of one of New Zealand’s most notorious invasive plants: Old Man’s Beard, or Clematis vitalba. This fast-growing vine might look like a fairy tale with its fluffy, beard-like seeds, but don’t be fooled! It’s more like ...

07 May

The Weed Files

The Puzzling Problem of Contorta Pine: An Invader of New Zealand

June 24, 2024
By Troppo
5 comments

Hello, nature lovers and environmental champions! 🌲 Today, we’re focusing on a tree that’s causing quite a stir in New Zealand’s landscapes: the Contorta Pine. Known botanically as Pinus contorta and commonly referred to as Lodgepole Pine or P. murrayana, this tree is part of the Pinaceae family. Wh...

25 Apr

The Weed Files

The Fluffy Foe: Battling Woolly Mullein – Verbascum thapsus in New Zealand

June 24, 2024
By Troppo
5 comments

Hello, fellow gardeners and nature defenders! 🌿 Today, we’re turning the spotlight on a plant that might look soft and innocent but is causing big problems across New Zealand: Woolly Mullein, or Verbascum thapsus. This tall, fuzzy invader with its bright yellow flowers is more than just an unusual s...

22 Feb

The Weed Files

The Persistent Pest: Tackling Twin Cress – Lepidium didymum in New Zealand

June 24, 2024
By Troppo
0 comments

Hello, green thumbs and eco-warriors! 🌿 Today, we’re shedding light on a small but mighty invader that’s been creeping its way across New Zealand’s gardens and farmlands: Twin Cress, or Lepidium didymum. This tiny troublemaker may be easy to overlook, but its impact on our ecosystems is significant....

11 Aug

The Weed Files

Dock the Invader: The Trouble with Rumex in New Zealand

June 24, 2024
By Troppo
0 comments

Hey there, nature enthusiasts and garden guardians! 🌿 Have you ever come across those pesky plants with broad, paddle-like leaves in your backyard or paddock? Meet Dock – specifically, Rumex obtusifolius (Broad-leaved Dock), Rumex pulcher (Fiddle Dock), and Rumex conglomeratus (Clustered Dock). Thes...

26 Nov

The Weed Files

Wild Ginger: The Beautiful but Invasive Invader of New Zealand

June 24, 2024
By Troppo
0 comments

Hello, nature guardians and green enthusiasts! 🌿 Today, we’re taking a closer look at a pair of plants that are as captivating as they are problematic: Wild Ginger, specifically Hedychium gardnerianum (Kahili Ginger) and Hedychium flavescens (Yellow Ginger). These exotic beauties, while stunning, po...

Tag Archives: biodiversity threat