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Stuff is on the hunt for the biggest potholes in New Zealand and the list is growing. Got a local pothole doing your head in? Share it on Stuff!
Watch out for this pretty flower
Green thumbs are being asked to watch out for a beautiful but toxic flower that could be growing in their backyards.
What you need to know:
- The cape tulip, growing up to 90cm high with one strap-like leaf, was introduced to Aotearoa in the 1940s, the Ministry for Primary Industries’ manager for pest management John Sanson said.
- It was classified as a noxious plant in the late 1970s after they were discovered to cause harm to livestock and humans, even killing animals when too much as ingested.
- The salmon-pink flowers bloom for about two days a year between June and December, and have previously been an ornamental species for keen gardeners, but for those who don’t know their effects, the cape tulip can spell disaster for humans and animals alike.
- Every part of the plant is poisonous, and can cause gastroenteritis, thirst, paralysis, blindness, and heart and kidney failure.
- This plant is hardy and normal pest control efforts are often not enough to eradicate.
More than 30% of New Zealand’s known sites were located in Marlborough Sounds, sparking calls for gardeners and farmers in the area to keep their eyes peeled for the toxic weed.
“Cape tulips, like many of these invasive weeds, are really attractive ornamental species ... but they escape over people’s backyard fences and into pasture, as these things often do,” Sanson said.
There were more than 500 known sites in the 80s, and the plants were banned from sale, propagation and distribution under the Biosecurity Act 1993.
Today there were 29 known sites across Aotearoa, 10 of which were in Marlborough Sounds, with three new sites emerging in North Canterbury in 2024.
Cape tulips were hardy, Sanson said, and normal pest control efforts were often not enough to eradicate the population.
“They are quite historic sites, going back to the 1940s on what was farmland,” Sanson said.
“[One] owner decided to turn the pasture into forest, thinking that would solve the problem, thinking they would die out, but when they harvested the trees there were some plants detected again.”
Teams were actively managing the sites, but Sanson was keen to learn if there were more sites to ensure they could control the populations.
“It’s time to raise awareness on this because there may be people who may not know they have this in their garden,” Sanson said.
“Properties change frequently, so there might be something in the garden that someone planted previously and they don’t know what they’ve got.”
Sanson urged people who believed they had the weed growing on their property to leave it untouched and contact Biosecurity New New Zealand’s Exotic Pest and Disease on 0800 80 99 66.
Once a site was confirmed, manual removal or chemical treatment would start.
The Tova Show
Hello! Are you a …
- A student/young professional renting
- A young family, renting or owning
- An older New Zealander/retiree/pensioner
We’re reaching out from the Tova show, the flagship weekly politics podcast on Stuff, as we prepare for our budget coverage and how it’s affecting Kiwis - we’d love to hear from you.
We need a few people who are available the week before the budget (Wednesday 22nd/Thursday 23rd May) and on the day of the announcement (Thursday 30th May).
Please email tova@stuff.co.nz or comment below if you’d like to share your perspective with us. We give you our commitment to treat your experience with sensitivity and care.
Type NFP if you don't wish your comments to be used.
Seed storage
Build a sturdy little box to keep your seed packets organised and easily accessible. Finish it in Resene Seaweed and Resene Aquaclear. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
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