Weeds database

Annual poa

Poa annua (Poaceae)

Annual poa (Poa annua Poaceae) has been called by many different names, sometimes referred to by its botanical name Poa annua, or simply poa, or names such ...

Black nightshade

Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae)

Black nightshade is a summer annual, dying off with frosts in late autumn. As with fathen and redroot, it can grow tall and leafy, creating lots of competition with crop ...

Blackberry

Rubus fruticosus (Rosaceae)

Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus Rosaceae) is a troublesome scrub weed in many parts of the country, both in pastures and forests. The hooks can trap woolly sheep, and ...

Bracken

Pteridium esculentum (Dennstaedtiaceae)

Most of New Zealand"s weeds are from the division of the plant kingdom known as Spermatophyta, which produce seeds. Bracken (Pteridium esculentum Dennstaedtiaceae, ...

Broad-leaved dock

Rumex obtusifolius (Polygonaceae)

There are a number of different dock species that grow within New Zealand, but broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius Polygonaceae) would be the most common of these. ...

Broad-leaved plantain

Plantago major (Plantaginaceae)

Broad-leaved plantain (Plantago major Plantaginaceae) is a very common perennial weed found in many lawns and pastures, and often in waste places as well. It is ...

Broom

Cytisus scoparius (Fabaceae)

As with gorse, broom (Cytisus scoparius Fabaceae) is another very troublesome scrub weed from the legume family. It isn"t spiny like ...

Californian thistle

Cirsium arvense (Asteraceae)

Californian thistle (Cirsium arvense Asteraceae) is one of the most common thistle species in New Zealand. It is very troublesome in pastures because it is so ...

Cape weed

Arctotheca calendula (Asteraceae)

This turf weed is generally considered to be an annual, though it may be a bit longer lived under some New Zealand conditions where the summers aren"t quite as dry as many ...

Catsear

Hypochaeris radicata (Asteraceae)

Catsear (Hypochaeris radicata Asteraceae) is often confused with dandelion, and certainly has many similarities to both it and

Chickweed

Stellaria media (Caryophyllaceae)

Chickweed (Stellaria media Caryophyllaceae) is a reasonably small annual weed. It can germinate and grow at any time of the year, and commonly germinates in autumn ...

Cleavers

Galium aparine (Rubiaceae)

Cleavers (Galium aparine Rubiaceae) is an annual weed which is often found in its vegetative stage over winter, and produces fruits in mid to late spring. It is ...

Clustered dock

Rumex conglomeratus (Polygonaceae)

There are a number of different dock species that grow within New Zealand, of which broad-leaved dock would be the most common. However clustered ...

Couch

Elytrigia repens (Poaceae)

Couch (pronounced "kooch"; Elytrigia repens Poaceae) is one of the most troublesome rhizomatous weeds in flower gardens and crops, competing for light, nutrients and ...

Creeping buttercup

Ranunculus repens (Ranunculaceae)

Buttercup species are tolerant of wet soil conditions, and so are often found in soils that are poorly drained. Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens Ranunculaceae) ...

Creeping oxalis

Oxalis exilis (Oxalidaceae)

Creeping oxalis (Oxalis exilis, Oxalidaceae) is a small perennial weed which grows from stolons (creeping stems) and is typically found in lawns. Unlike many oxalis ...

Creeping speedwell

Veronica filiformis (Scrophulariaceae)

Creeping speedwell (Veronica filiformis Scrophulariaceae) is a major problem in turf wherever it grows. Fortunately it is only found in some parts of New Zealand at ...

Daisy

Bellis perennis (Asteraceae)

Daisies (Bellis perennis Asteraceae) are generally well known to everybody, and many people have made daisy chains as kids. They mainly cause problems in lawns, ...

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae)

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Asteraceae) has a number of closely related weed species that look similar to it, and all these species tend to get lumped together ...

Fathen

Chenopodium album (Amaranthaceae)

This is one of the most competitive cropping weeds in New Zealand, and was fornerly classed within the Chenopodiaceae family. It is a summer annual, which means it germinates ...

Fiddle dock

Rumex pulcher (Polygonaceae)

Fiddle dock (Rumex pulcher, Polygonaceae) gets its name from having leaves shaped like a fiddle (or violin). It is a common dock species found throughout New ...

Field speedwell

Veronica arvensis (Scrophulariaceae)

Field speedwell is a small annual species, normally growing as a winter annual, germinating in autumn and flowering in spring. It looks very similar to

Galinsoga

Galinsoga parviflora (Asteraceae)

Galinsoga parviflora (Asteraceae) is an upright annual weed that is occasionally found in crops and gardens. It is not as common throughout New Zealand as other ...

Giant buttercup

Ranunculus acris (Ranunculaceae)

Buttercups tend to be a problem in moist dairy pastures. They can tolerate wet soil conditions better than many other species, including perennial ryegrass and white clover, ...

Gorse

Ulex europaeus (Fabaceae)

Gorse (Ulex europaeus Fabaceae) is generally considered to be New Zealand"s worst scrub weed. It was originally introduced to New Zealand as a hedge species, but now ...

Groundsel

Senecio vulgaris (Asteraceae)

Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris Asteraceae) is a small, upright annual. Because of its size, it tends not to be as competitive as some annual weeds found in cropping, ...

Hairy buttercup

Ranunculus sardous (Ranunculaceae)

Hairy buttercup is a common species found in dairy pastures throughout the country. It differs from the other two common buttercups found in dairy pastures,

Hawkbit

Leontodon taraxacoides (Asteraceae)

Hawkbit (Leontodon taraxacoides Asteraceae) is a perennial weed often confused with dandelion and several other weed species which also ...

Hawksbeard

Crepis capillaris (Asteraceae)

Hawksbeard is often confused with a number of other weed species which look similar to it. In the vegetative phase, it is very difficult to tell apart from

Hedge mustard

Sisymbrium officinale (Brassicaceae)

Hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale Brassicaceae) is an annual weed which can germinate at any time, though normally it germinates either in spring or autumn. It ...

Hemlock

Conium maculatum (Apiaceae)

Hemlock (Conium maculatum Apiaceae) is a biennial weed probably best known for its poisonous properties. As such, it is not welcome in pastures. However, there are ...

Hydrocotyle

Hydrocotyle spp. (Apiaceae)

Hydrocotyle (Hydrocotyle spp., Apiaceae) is the common name given for most species from the Hydrocotyle genus. Although there are ten species listed for this genus ...

Mallow

Malva spp. (Malvaceae)

"Mallow" (Malva spp., Malvaceae) is a term used to describe a whole group of species, several of which are quite difficult to tell apart. This page is dedicated to ...

Manuka

Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae)

Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium, Myrtaceae) is a perennial scrub species native to New Zealand, and is probably our most troublesome native scrub species. It is ...

Mouse-ear hawkweed

Pilosella officinarum (Asteraceae)

Mouse-ear hawkweed (formerly Hieracium pilosella and now Pilosella officinarum, Asteraceae) is often more commonly known by its former genus name, ...