T.E.R:R.A.I.N - Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network

Weeds & Escapee Plants

Of the 24 700 introduced plants currently in New Zealand, 10% will establish in the wild, and 10% of these will become serious weeds.

Here is a talk by Philip Hume about New Zealand being one of the weediest places on earth.
 Click here.

The common names of plants often vary from region to region, which is why most plant encyclopedias refer to plants using their binomial names. Since many plants have multiple names we have listed them by the most common name used in New Zealand.
On this page, plants are listed in alphabetical order by their most common names. A to F

Binomial names in alphabetical order can found in the link panel on the left-hand side of the page or at http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/weeds.html 

Weeds and Escapee Plants: G to L (Common names)

Weeds and Escapee Plants: M to Q (Common names)

Weeds and Escapee Plants: R to Z (Common names)  


African bush daisy (Euryops chrysanthemoides)


African Clubmoss (Selaginella kraussiana) 


African corn lily (Ixia maculate)   


African feather grass (Pennisetum macrourum)


African Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum)


Agapanthus (Agapanthus praecox)  

Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)


Allseed (Polycarpon tetraphyllum)


Aluminium plant (Lamiastrum galeobdolon)


Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) 


Amaranth (Amaranthus spp)

Amaranth (Green) Amaranthus lividus

Amarantus (Mat) Amaranthus graecizans 


Amaranth (Prostrate) Amaranthus deflexus   


American burnweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius)

Angelica (Portuguese) Angelica pachycarpa 


Angel's trumpet (Brugmansia candida)


Annual yellow sweetclover (Melilotus indicus)


Apple of Peru (Nicanda physalodes)


Apple of Sodom (Solanum linnaeanum)

Aristea (Aristea ecklonii)


Asparagus fern (Asparagus scandens) 


Asparagus (Sprenger's) Asparagus aethiopicus


Australian fireweed (Senecio bipinnatisectus) 


Australian sedge (Carex longebrachiata)


Australian ngaio (Myoporum insulare)


Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellate)


Balloon vine (Cardiospermum grandiflorum)  


Balloon vine (Small) Cardiospermum halicacabum


Bamboo (Runing bamboo)


Banana passion fruit (Passiflora tripartita var. azuayensis)


Banana passion fruit (Passiflora tarminiana)


Banana passionfruit (Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima) 


Banksia (Coastal) Banksia integrifol


Barberry (Berberis darwinii) 


Barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli)


Bartlettina (Bartlettina sordida)


Bathurst burr (Xanthium spinosum)


Bat-wing passion flower (Passiflora apetala)


Beaked hawksbeard (Crepis vesicaria)


Bear's breeches (Acanthus mollis) 


Bedstraw (Cleaver) Galium aparine  


Beet (Beta vulgaris)


Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)


Berry heath (Erica baccans)


Bidibid (Acaena novae-zelandiae)


Bindweed (Black) Fallopia convolvulus


Bitter lettuce (Lactuca virosa) 


Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) 


Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara)


Black medick (Medicago lupulina)


Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) 


Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus)   


Blazing star (Liatris species)


Blue daisy (Felicia amelloides)


Blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) 


Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) 


Bluemink (Ageratum houstonianum)

Blue oxalis (Parochetus communis)


Blue spur flower (Plectranthus ciliatus) 

Blue spur flower (Plectranthus ciliatus)


Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata)


Bomarea (Bomarea multiflora)


Boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera)


Borage (White) Borago officinalis


Borage (Blue) Borago officinalis  


Boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum) 


Bur clover (Medicago polymorpha)


Brazilian Fireweed (Erechtites valerianifolia)


Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius)


Brazilian whitlow (Paronychia brasiliana)


Bristly Oxtongue (Helminthotheca echioides)


Broad-leaved fleabane (Conyza sumatrensis)


Broom (Common) Cytisus scoparius 


Broom (Montpellier) Genista monspessulana


Broom (Spanish) Spartium junceum 


Broom (Sweet) Genista stenopetala  


Broomrape (Orobanche minor)


Brush wattle (Paraserianthes lophantha)  


Buddleia (Orange eye) Buddleja davidii  


Buffalo grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum)


Bulbous rush (Juncus bulbosus)


Burdock (Arctium minus)



Burclover (Medicago polymorpha)


Buttercup bush (Senna septemtrionalis)   


Buttercup (Giant) Ranunculus acris


Buttercup (Rough-fruited buttercup) Ranunculus muricatus


Buttercup (Creeping ) Ranunculus repens  


California bulrush (Schoenoplectus californicus)


Californian poppy (Eschscholzia californica)


Californian stinkweed (Navarretia squarrosa)  


Canna (Genus) lily


Canna lily (Canna indica) Indian shot


Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) 


Cape daisy (Arctotheca calendula)  


Cape honey flower (Melianthus major)


Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis)


Caper spurge (Euphorbia lathyris)  



Carpet bugle (Ajuga reptans)


Catchfly (Windmill pink) Silene gallica

Cats claw creeper (Macfadyena unguis-cati)

Catsear (Hypochaeris radicata)


Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) 


Century plant, (Agave Americana)


Cestrum (Red) Cestrum elegans

Cestrum (Early jessamine) Cestrum fasciculatum) 

Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis)


Cherry (Sweet) Prunus avium)


Cherry (Taiwan) Prunus campanulata


Chickweed (Common) Stellaria media 


Chickweed (Little Mouse-ear) Cerastium semidecandrum


Chickweed (Sticky mouse-ear) Cerastium glomeratum 

Chicory (Cichorium intybus)   


Chilean glory creeper (Eccremocarpus scaber)


Chilean mayten (Maytenus boaria)


Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana)


Chilean rhubarb (Gunnera tinctoria) 

Chinese forget-me-not (Cynoglossum amabile)

Chinese holly grape (Mahonia lomariifolia)


Chinese knotweed (Polygonum chinense)


Chinese mugwort (Artemisia verlotiorum)


Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata)


Christmas lily (Alstroemeria psittacina)


Cineraria (Genus Pericallis)


Climbing Spindle Berry (Celastrus orbiculatus)


Clover (Narrow-leaved clover) Trifolium angustifolium 


Clover (Haresfoot) Trifolium arvense


Clover (Crimson)Trifolium incarnatum


Clover (Red) Trifolium pratense


Clover (White) Trifolium repens 


Coast banksia (Banksia integrifolia) 


Coastal gazania (Gazania rigens)  Treasure flower   Orange variety


Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)



Comfrey (Common) Symphitum officinale

Comfrey (Russian) Symphytum × uplandicum


Common reed (Phragmites australis)


Corn cockle (Agrostemma githago)


Corn marigold (Glebionis segetum)


Corn spurrey weed (Spergula arvensis)


Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)               Leaves at the base of the plant


Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster glaucophyllus)  


Cotoneaster (Parney Cotoneaster) Cotoneaster lacteus 


Couch (Elymus repens)


Cretan brake (Pteris cretica)


Creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides)


Creeping Zinnia (Sanvitalia procumbens)


Crown vetch (Coronilla varia)  


Cudweed (Simple-stem cudweed) Gamochaeta simplicicaulis

Cudweed (Gamochaeta coarctata)  


Cup and Saucer Vine (Cobaea scandens)

Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias) 


Daisy (Common) Bellis perennis  

Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria)

Dock (Climbing) Rumex sagittatus

Elderberry (Black) Sambucus nigra


Euphorbia Kea (Euphorbia characias)  


European spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus)

Fairy crassula (Crassula multicava)

Firethorn (Pyracantha angustifolia)


Five leaf akebia (Akebia quinata)


Flame Freesia (Genus Tritonia)


Flax (Pale flax) Linum bienne  

Fools water cress (Apium nodiflorum) 


Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis sylvatica) 


Formosa lily (Lilium formosanum) 


Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)


Fountain grass (Cenchrus setaceus)

Thanks to Nature Watch  http://naturewatch.org.nz/ for identifying some of these plants.
Thanks to Daves Garden http://davesgarden.com/Bibliography

The Guide to New Zealand's Common Weeds NZ Weed and Pest Control Society
An illustrated Guide to Common Weeds of New Zealand by NZ Plant Protection Society
New Zealand Wild Flowers Handbook by Bishops
Wild Flowers of New Zealand by Owen Bishop
Wild Flowers in New Zealand by Nancy Adams
Introduced Wildflowers New Zealand Weeds by Gordon Ell
New Zealand in Flower  Alison Evans,
Weeds of Roadsides and Waste ground in NZ   R.L Taylor

Websites
http://www.weedbusters.org.nz
http://www.dowagro.com
New Zealand National Pest Plant Accord
ttp://en.wikipedia.org
Global Invasive Species

Weed species on the National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) key
www. landcareresearch. co. nz/research/biosystematics/plants/nppakey/
The above key is developed by staff at Landcare Research. The interactive key allows the user to select information about the specimen in hand in any order. As the user enters more information about the specimen the list of possible species narrows.