Weeds

Stinking Mayweed

Growing from 25 to 55 cm tall, stinking mayweed is a member of the daisy family. The flower has a yellow centre and white petals

Stinking mayweed is an annual winter herb, with a bitter taste, and unpleasantly strong odour when crushed. The stems are erect and densely branched.

Water Pepper

Water pepper is common in low-lying regions of NZ, growing on river banks and in marshy areas. It is also sometimes an aquatic plant in small clear streams.

Yarrow

Yarrow is a very widespread weed, common througout NZ in drier areas.

It is a fragrant perennial white or sometimes pink flowers, often forming large patches in pasture.

The leaves are dark green and feathery.

It spreads either via seeds or rhizomes to produce new plants.

Field Pansy

Resembling the garden Pansy, Field Pansy is a common weed in South Island cultivated crops and is also found in the North Island. It germinate all year round, and grows low to the ground.

Twin Cress forms as a circular mat with hairless, fringed leaves on alternate sides of the stems. There tend to be more leaves on one side of the steam than the other (which is a distinguishing characteristic, as is the distinctive smell of the crushed leaves). Stems are initially fragile, but later become tougher and sprawling. It has small white flowers, and pairs of pods.

Cleavers

Cleavers is an annual, often found in gardens and wasteland, germintating in shady areas. Cleavers have shallow roots, so are easy to destroy via pulling or cultivation.

It is important to control with pesticides while still young, as it is tough to kill otherwise.

Chickweed

Chickweed is a small, scrambling, very shade tollerant, annual. It can germinate and grow throughout the year, commonly being seen as a winter annual in pastures and crops, particularly autumn-saved pastures.

Mallow

Creeping mallow is a common weed in the North Island. It forms a low mat of circular or heart shaped green leaves.

The flowers are red or orange in colour. It often grows in lawns and pasture. The creeping stems can be up to 1m long, rooting where they touch the ground.

Henbit

Henbit is an annual with purple flowers grouped at the base of leaves. It has squared stems, and deep taproots.

Groundsel

Groundsel has fleshy leaves and stems, and shallow roots, typically growwing up to approximately 30cm high. The green green flower heads with yellow flowers open once the seed is ripe. Its short lifecycle (5-6 weeks from germination to seeding) make it important to get on top of it early.

Camomile

Chamomile can germinate in soil all year round although primarly in spring and autumn. Control BEFORE seeding is extremely important or chamomile can take over large areas quite quickly.

Parsley Piert

Parsley piert plants looks a lot like the Italian Parsley used in the kitchen. Each leaf is made of 3 parts, which are also divided at the tip. Parsley piert tends to establish in autumn and seed in spring.