PIHA COASTCAREHELPING TO CARE FOR PIHA'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENTPLANT AND WEED OF THE MONTH Plant of the Month - December 08: Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum)
 Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum) or Peppertree, is found in coastal and lowland forests throughout the North Island and the northern half of the South Island. It is a small tree, growing to six metres tall, with dense branches. It is easily recognised by its heart-shaped leaves and jointed stems, which resemble bamboo stalks. The leaves are often pocked with holes caused by the looper caterpillar Cleora scriptaria. The tiny male and female flowers are arranged in upright spikes and grow on separate trees. In summer female spikes ripen to a deep orange and their swollen fruits are a favoured food of forest birds. Kawakawa was often used by Māori. The leaves were placed over cuts and boils to speed up healing, and a tea was made from an infusion of its leaves. (Photo taken in Black Sands Garden ) Description text from teara.govt.nz
I chose Kawakawa this month because here, left, is a photo of the Kereru (Wood Pigeon) feeding on the swollen fruits of the Kawakawa in our Garden. Kawakawa is one of the most distinctive New Zealand native plants. It was one of the most important healing herbs in Rongoa Maori (traditional Maori medicine). Use of Kawakawa as a healing or tonic herb is still popular today. Read more on kiwiherb.co.nz Weed of the Month - December 08: Pampas Grass.
 I chose pampas grass this month because our beautiful Toitoi is in flower and its the best time to tell the difference between the two.
Pampas Grass flower has a redish tinge to it, see left, whereas our beautiful toitoi is a cream / off white.We have several planted toitoi around our property and it was only this month that someone mentioned how wonderful it was to see more of it around. Shame the pampas grass appears to be much stronger and overtaking. Get rid of it :)
Plant of the Month - November 08: Pratia angulata (Panakenake) 
Probably NZ's most popular groundcover being vigorous growing and smothered in white flowers and red fruit. Grows really well in Piha.
Here is a photo of pratia, in flower, growing wild in our garden. It's a beaut. Although it can handle a certain amount of shade the more sun the better. Weed of the Month - November 08: Onehunga Weed. 
Onehunga weed is an annual weed which looks like a small ferny rosette about 20cm in diameter. Flowers are a tiny greenish-yellow. By the middle of spring each rosette of leaves contains a flowerhead with many spines. Seeds mature and drop from the plant by about the middle of summer. Onehunga seed is spread by foot traffic or on the fur of animals. The best time for control is when the plants are putting on their flush of growth during spring. When the seed heads have formed, uptake of herbicide is limited and control is usually not very successful.
This is the weed that puts those prickles in your feet in summer. Yip - if you have this weed it is clearly spread easily by foot traffic. We noticed it a couple of years ago and you could see it spreading where we were walking. . . . no more - not in my lawn! 
This is the product I use to control onehunga weed . . . but be very careful as this is very ecotoxic - read all the instructions carefully Plant of the Month - October 08: Knobby clubrush - Ficinia nodosa Isolepis nodosa  I have chosen this as it grows naturally in Piha and we have recently used it on the lower northern banks in the Beach Valley Road project and its doing very very well.
left: you can click and see larger image of it in our 'children's garden' on Beach Valley Road. A rush-like plant with a short creeping rhizomes, common throughout New Zealand. It is used for the revegetation of wetlands in restoration planting
Weed of the Month - October 08: Climbing Asparagus - Asparagus scandens 
This photo of climbing asparagus was taken in Beach Valley Road on October 6th. It is blossoming on the northern banks in Beach Valley Road so no doubt it is elsewhere. Weed should be dug out as the roots must be gotten rid of. Go for it now before it takes over as it loves the current climate. If you need any help or advice contact Piha Coastcare here Piha Coastcare Email click for larger image on left more info here on net
Plant of the Month - September 08: Carex Flagellifera
My absolute favourite Carex. Shown here, left, on a bank next to a garden path. It's texture looks great with Nikau and to watch it dance in the wind is quite something when planted in mass like this. Prefers moist, but can live without it. Needs reasonably good drainage and loves the sun. A good weed suppresant when planted in mass and the wonderful thing is it self seeds. I've grown heaps from my 'mother' plants. Weed of the Month - September 08: Name: Mile a Minute (Dipogon lignosus) 
Evergreen climber. Leaves have 3 roughly heart-shaped leaflets. White, pink, lavender & white, or reddish purple pea-like flowers (Jul-Jan), smooth seedpods. If this nasty climber hasn't shown its face on your property yet it will very soon. We get an annoying amount of it but less and less each year. I cut it off at ground level then dig it out. Once the vine has started to die then I pull it out and get rid of it too.
Plant of the Month - August 08: Common Name: Muehlenbeckia complexa (Pohuehue) These photos were taken in Piha. Below left: Muehlenbeckia was the perfect choice to grow over this concrete retaining wall at the beginning of Glenesk Road. Below middle: a close shot of another beaut speciman at Gabrielle and Lou Lancaster's home at North Piha covering a fence beautifully. Below right: muehlenbeckia holding sand very nicely on North Piha back dunes. We planted muelenbeckia in the front of Brockie's place to grow over his new fence. It grows well in sand which is a bonus.
Click on images for larger photos   
Weed of the Month - August 08: Name: Climbing Asparagus (Asparagus scandens)
 I chose this weed because it is sprouting heaps at the moment.
It's not unattractive to look at but its a nasty little thing that can be seen climbing up and twisting around plants and smothering them.  It has small rhizomes (left) growing like swollen roots outstretched from the base of the plant so to get rid of it you need to use a trowel to dig up the rhizomes and get them in the weed bin.
Good luck - We're about to attack it in Beach Valley Road!
Plant of the Month - July 08: Common Name: Astelia Solandri (Kowharawhara)
 I have chosen this as the plant of the month as its a nice change from the green natives with its beautiful silver colours - a favourite of mine. Also drought tolerant so no need to water!
Typically grows as an epiphite - we have several growing in our pohutukawa and they are truly quite stunning. Can be grown in free draining soil (no bog) and protect shade or semi shade and they're in heaven. Grows about 1m x 1 beautiful m Weed of the Month - July 08: Name: Selaginella Kraussiana 
Found: Damp forest floors, stream banks, gardens, nurseries, shade houses and ferneries I have chosen this weed for July as I have noticed it on our properties recently. It forms very dense clumbs in damp areas and on our stream side - when removed, which is very easy to do, it allowes yummy ferns etc to sprout easily. Look or it and get rid of it in the weed bin.
Plant of the Month - June 08: Common Name: Hound's Tongue Fern 
Botanic Name: Phymatosorus pustulatum Maori Name: Kowauwau Hound's tongue fern, Phymatosorus pustulatum - scrambling or climbing native fern with a thick, fleshy, rambling stem. The long-stalked, very glossy, leathery fronds are strap-like when young, later wide and very deeply lobed. Common in forest and scrub on trees, rocks or dry ground. Abundant in coastal to montane forest, often epiphytic (growing on trees), usually in slightly drier places Ensure it has room to grown now - its a beautiful plant. We have some great specimans on our property. Weed of the Month June 08: Common Name: Wandering Jew (Tradescantia)  Botanic Name: Tradescantia fluminensis Origin: South America Often found around streams or damp sites. Prefers shade and cool moist area and in particular our boundary on Dan's side!!! Can form dense carpet which can be rolled up and disposed of carefully as one piece left or dropped will take off. Let's attack it this month .... into weed bin it goes.
THIS SITE & CONTENTS ARE COPYRIGHT TO PIHAGALZ LTD
Go to Piha: Beach Valley Rd Weedfree! Go to Piha: Glenesk Revegetation Project Go to Piha: Weedfree Garden Rd Project
Piha Coastcare is grateful for Waitakere City Council's ongoing support
This website is proudly sponsored by Piha Accommodation - Black Sands Lodge
|
