7 Flowers That Are Weeds in NZ
It’s the age-old question for any less-than-savvy gardener who decides to get stuck in on a sunny Saturday: is that a flower or a weed? Technically, it could be both because there are plenty of flowers that are weeds in NZ.
But for the sake of making sure you’re not letting a potentially invasive plant take over your flower garden or ripping out something completely innocent, let’s take a look at what those flower weeds look like. You can then pull out the right plants with complete confidence.
#1 Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile)
Agapanthus is a plant that many gardeners would be happy to welcome into their garden. They have lovely leaves and an abundance of small purple-blue or white flowers that bloom from December to February.
However, agapanthus is actually a perennial weed from South Africa. It’s a prolific seeder, lives a long time, and thrives in nearly any climate. They also have no problem dispersing their seeds far and wide and can spread through wind and water.
This weed flower can cause considerable biodiversity loss and tends to be the dominant species no matter where it grows. You can get rid of this plant by digging it out and using garden centre-recommended spraying products.
#2 Blue Morning Glory
Blue morning glory is a national pest plant that thrives in tropical areas. It’s a high climbing vine with tough stems, fibrous roots, and silky, hairy leaves. Blue morning glory has an incredibly fast growth rate and can smother anything trying to grow around it.
It can also be particularly devastating in forest areas where it can replace the floor with itself and kill everything in its path.
As pretty as it is, it’s not going to be good news for other plants next to it in your garden. You can pull it out, dig out the roots, and dispose of them at your local refuse transfer station.
#3 Boneseed
As pretty as boneseed can be with its gorgeous yellow daisy-like flowers, this is generally not a flower you want to have in your garden. Just a single boneseed bush can create up to 50,000 seeds annually and remain dormant in the soil for a decade.
Boneseed can quickly take over any garden and replace the delicate native plant species you were trying to grow. It’s best to hand-pull out the largest plants when they aren’t in seed and spray them with a weed-killing solution your local garden centre recommends.
#4 Elder (Elderberry)
Elder bushes are deciduous shrubs with green leaves and round fruits that can be black or green. As aesthetically pleasing as elder bushes can be, they are an incredibly invasive plant that likes to make itself at home among your other flowers.
Eventually, it will take over, disperse seeds, and become an ongoing problem that you have to tackle regularly. Fortunately, you can give elder bushes their marching orders by digging out the small plants and seedlings and mulching year-round.
#5 Formosa Lily
Formosa lily, originally from Taiwan, is a herbaceous plant with underground bulbs that produce annual shoots. They have smooth, long leaves and funnel-shaped flowers and are actually quite an attractive addition to most gardens.
However, it’s in your best interests not to welcome these flowers onto your property if you can avoid it. They spread easily, thrive in most environments, and win fights for space against native plants. You will see this play out in many settings like sand dunes, on the sides of roads, and in disturbed areas.
To get rid of Formosa lily, you’ll need to dig out the plants and remove the bulbs. Spraying with a garden-centre recommended solution may also be a wise idea.
#6 Mexican Daisy
Many gardeners have a soft spot for daisies, but the Mexican daisy is one you won’t want to be too welcoming for. This perennial daisy with narrow leaves and white or pink daisy-like flowers is a genuine pest.
They form dense mats wherever you grow them and produce seeds that can travel for miles. As they thrive in most environments, it can seem like there’s no stopping them once they start growing. A combination of spray and hand-digging while avoiding disturbing the soil is one of the best ways to get rid of Mexican daisies.
#7 Nasturtium
Nasturtium is a scrambling plant with vibrant green leaves and scarlet orange or yellow flowers. This plant is deceiving because it’s an attractive addition to any garden. Yet, it’s one we really don’t want.
Nasturtium can take over and smother low-growing habitats and can even prevent native plant seedlings from thriving. If you end up with nasturtium in your garden, pull up all the plants you can find and spray the area.
Take Care of Business
As beautiful as some flowers in your garden are, they aren’t all innocent. Some can be responsible for devastating a garden full of native plants in just days. Take action today! Talk to our Crewcut team to take care of your gardening needs.