DESTROY BAD AD BERRIES!

Colourful berries are an attractive feature in the winter garden, but it’s important to ensure those you are growing are not bad environmental weeds!

Most berries are a source of food for birds, meaning the seeds are spread far and wide. This becomes a problem when the seeds are from invasive species that cause damage in natural areas by crowding out native species.

Common ‘bad berry’ species found in gardens range from large trees such as woolly nightshade (Solanum mauritianum), privet (Ligustrum species), and rowan (Sorbus acuparia), to lowgrowing plants such as stinking iris (Iris foetidissima), cotoneasters and flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum). Weedy vines like Chilean flamecreeper (Tropaelum speciosa) and the weedy asparagus vines (Asparagus scandens and A. setaceous), also produce berries spread by birds.

Native berry producing species are a good option to both feed the birds and protect our environment. Trees, puriri and karaka, and shrubby coprosma all produce striking berries. Turutu (Dianella nigra), which produces glowing purple berries, and nertera (Nertera depressa) with its bright red berries, are good ground cover alternatives. Ask your local garden centre for advice on the many non-native, non-weedy, berry producing plants that can be grown in your area.

For information on bad berry plants and their control, check out the weed search at www.weedbusters.org.nz.