The edible onion weed
The Waitakere branch of Forest & Bird is helping gardners identify unwanted weeds and giving tips on how to destroy them.
The organisation wants to get these weeds out of residential gardens before they make their way into reserves, forests and beaches.
This month’s weed is onion weed.
It has 20-60 centimetre tall fleshy, grass-like stems and leaves and a strong garlic smell.
Its dense mat of leaves prevents native seedlings from establishing.
White bell-like flowers appear in the spring followed by a capsule of seeds.
The plant dies back for the summer.
Its seeds and bulblets are carried by water, in contaminated soil and dumped vegetation.
Onion weed tolerates hot and cold, wind, semi-shade and damp, heavy soils.
To eradicate onion weed, dig up the clumps and dispose of carefully in a weed bin, your garden bag or rubbish bag.
Check with your garden centre for a suitable herbicide, its safe and effective use.
Re-growth is inevitable due to the small seeds and bulbs, so be persistent.
For the location of weed bins, go to aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or phone the council on 09 301 0101.
Note that this weed is edible. Check the internet for suitable culinary uses.