Gorse
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Ulex
Species: U. europaeus
Binomial name Ulex europaeus
Common name: Gorse
Gorse (Ulex europaeus) is a major invasive plant species in New Zealand and millions of dollars are spent on its control. Gorse is one of the most widely recognised agricultural weeds in New Zealand. It covers 700,000 hectares (1,700,000 acres) at varying densities — a total of 5% of the land area of New Zealand when excluding existing indigenous forest, vegetated sub-alpine and alpine areas. Introduced from Western Europe in the very early stages of European settlement in the early 1800s. Seed was brought in by the English settlers to grow plants for hedging. A lack of natural control agents in New Zealand in combination with high seed production, unpalatability to stock, and invasive, colonising growth habitats have allowed gorse to become the widespread problems it is are today. Because it is such a problem in some areas of New Zealand several insects have been introduced as a biological control to attack Gorse, all are native of Europe.
They are
Gorse seed weevil (Exapion ulicis) first imported in 1926 and are now abundant in most areas.
Gorse soft shoot moth (Agonopterix ulicetella) first imported in 1983
Gorse spider mites (Tetranychus lintearius) first imported in 1988
Gorse thrips (Sericothrips staphylinus) first imported in 1989
Gorse pod moth (Cydis ulicetana) first imported in 1989
Gorse colonial hard shoot moth (Pempelia genistella) first imported in 1995
Two native insects that attack gorse are Gorse stem miner (Anisoplaca ptyoptera) and Lemon tree borer (Oemona hirta)
Gorse flowers
Small gorse plants that are appearing in certian areas on the walkway
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