Weeds Calendar

A weed is a plant growing where it's not wanted. That doesn't mean it's bad, just bad here. Some weeds can be beautiful. In the suburbs, where most weeds have escaped from gardens into the bush or along waterways, they were once highly-prized ornamentals,...

Weed Chinese Elm leaf. Photo: Mark Crocker Description Fast-growing semi-deciduous large tree with smooth bark and scalloped leaves. Native to China, Korea and Japan. Leaves have three main veins at the base. Why it’s bad Creates monocultures where little else will...

Weed Madiera Vine flowers. Photo: Mark Crocker Description A soft, fast-growing vine with heart-shaped leaves. Large numbers of tubers form along stems and from the roots, producing many more plants when they sprout. Why it’s bad It can engulf native species, reducing...

Weed Dutchman's Pipe Aristolochia elegans flower and leaves. Photo: Mark Crocker Description A smothering climber with heart-shaped leaves and pipe-shaped flowers native to Brazil and Argentina. Crushed leaves and cut stems give off an offensive "nail polish" smell....

Weed Easter Cassia Senna pendula flower. Photo: Mark Crocker Description Easter Cassia is a native of South America. Around Easter it produces showy yellow flowers, then masses of seed in long pods. Why it’s bad It “jumps the garden fence” and spreads throughout...

Weed Cane Grass Pennisetum purpureum flower. Photo: Mark Crocker Description A giant grass resembling sugar cane introduced as fodder for cattle, quickly colonising creek edges when the farms became suburbs. Why it’s bad Cane Grass forms dense thickets offering little...

Weed Japanese Sunflower Tithonia diversifolia. Photo: Mark Crocker Description Large, fast-growing semi-woody shrub. Not a native of Japan or anywhere near it - in fact a native of Central America. Flower-heads resemble sunflowers. Why it’s bad Invades disturbed,...

  Weed Emilia Emilia sonchifolia. Photo: Mark Crocker Description A member of the highly successful daisy family. Similar to Thickhead but with pink flowerheads. Why it’s bad A common weed of gardens, footpaths, roadsides and disturbed areas. Widespread but...

Weed Balloon Vine Cardiospermum grandiflorum flower. Photo: Mark Crocker Description Smothering climber with light green compound leaves, native to tropical Asia, Africa and America. Nine leaflets arranged in three groups of three. Why it’s bad This vine's rampant...

Weed Lantana Lantana camara. Photo: Mark Crocker Description A straggly, prickly shrub commonly in dense thickets. Native to tropical South America. Multicoloured flowers, pleasant spicy aroma. Why it’s bad Not as serious for urban creeks as it is for agriculture....

Weed Camphor Laurel Cinnamomum camphora new growth. Photo: Mark Crocker Description Medium to large tree native to Taiwan, Japan and China. Crushed leaves and cut branches have a distinct camphor smell. Green branchlets. For more information see Camphor Laurel in the...

Weed Mile-a-minute Ipomoea cairica. Photo: Mark Crocker Description Fast-growing smothering climber from tropical America and tropical Asia. Leaves heart-shaped to three lobed, flowers tubular, bright blue to blue-purple, fade to pink. For more information see...

Weed Privet Ligustrum lucidim. Photo: Mark Crocker Description Small tree native to China and Japan. Leaves somewhat waxy-leathery, dark-green above, lighter below. Flowers Spring to Summer. Why it’s bad The leaves and fruit are poisonous and if eaten can result in...