Weeds to watch out for

With more free weed bins available between 1 and 31 March in various spots around your neighbourhood, now is a great time to tackle that backyard clean up.

The Waitākere Ranges and Henderson-Massey local boards fund War on Weeds bins each March to give people a free and simple way to dispose of invasive weeds from their own backyards. This in turn halts the spread of weeds into our public green spaces.

You can find bin locations and a full list of target weeds at ecomatters.org.nz/war-on-weeds but here’s how to recognise some of the top weeds on the wish list, chosen because they prevent our native plants from regenerating.

Wild ginger – can quickly smother natives, preventing regeneration. Wild ginger has large wax-covered, lance-shaped leaves and its lemon yellow flowers with red stamens bloom between February and April. (Top left, photo by Trevor James.) Jasmine – an evergreen climber which creates an impenetrable ground cover. Its leaves are small, shiny and dark green when mature, but new growth has a red tinge. In spring it has lots of highly scented white tubular flowers. It also produces a glossy black fruit with dark red pulp. (Bottom left, photo by Neil Henderson.)

Moth plant – yet another dominator, moth plant is also poisonous with sap that can cause irritation. It’s a vine with dark green arrowhead leaves. From December to May, you’ll recognise it by its small creamy coloured tubular flowers. By autumn going into winter, its large choko-like seed pods start to dry and split, releasing many seeds. (Top right, photo by Trevor James.)

Tradescantia – also a serious forest floor competitor, smothering other vegetation. This is a hairless, succulent creeping plant with oval shining leaves forming a sheath around the stem. From about August to November, it has clusters of white star-shaped flowers. (Centre right, photo by Neil Henderson.) Climbing asparagus – as reflected in its name, this plant loves to climb or scramble, and will quickly take over, preventing native seedlings from growing. Recognise it by its fine, fern-like foliage, tiny white flowers (Sept-Dec) and round berries which ripen green to red-orange. (Bottom right, photo by Trevor James.)

Weed information adapted from Auckland Council’s Pest Plant Search, found at www.pestplants.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

1 MARCH TO 31 MARCH2020 HENDERSON-MASSEY LOCAL BOARD 1 HENDERSON MPHS Carpark 27 Corban Ave 2 TE ATATŪ PENINSULA 580 Te Atatū Road 3 MASSEY Massey Leisure Centre, corner Westgate Drive and Don Buck Road 4 SWANSON Central Landscape Supplies, 598 Swanson Road WAITĀKERE RANGES LOCAL BOARD 5 LAINGHOLM Laingholm Hall carpark at 69 Victory Road, opposite Laingholm Primary School 6 PARAU 695 Huia Road, Parau 7 KAURILANDS Konini Primary School, 44 Withers Road 8 TE HENGA Regional Park carpark, next to 110 Te Henga Road 9 TITIRANGI Otitori Bay Road, French Bay carpark 10 TITIRANGI Tangiwai Reserve carpark, Huia Road 11 WAIMA Corner of Boylan Road and York Road 12 WAIATARUA Community Hall, 911 West Coast Road 13 HENDERSON VALLEY 17 Mountain Road LOCAL WEED BIN SITES FOR WAR ON WEEDS

PERMANENT WEED BINS PIHA DOMAIN Seaview Road HUIA DOMAIN Huia Road