Much to learn about weeds, weeds and weeds in new exhibition

Not all that glitters is gold.

Same goes for plants. Not all that is green is good.

Some people love flowering agapanthus, others grow Japanese honeysuckle as ornamental plants and some think morning glory makes for beautiful coverage. Not everyone knows the difference between native toetoe and its nemesis pampas.

These are weeds . . . and Weeds Weeds Weeds is one of Western Bay Museum’s new exhibits. It is the first in a series of Project Parore installations at the museum.

Project Parore volunteers focus on six catchment areas in Katikati where weeds have taken over from the natives, patron Dr Peter Maddison says.

The interesting thing about weeds is some are very pretty, he says.

“Montbretia is very pretty. “Honeysuckle is too, that strangles everything. Ivy totally strangles and kills the other plants. Moth plant are among the worst because these pods contain more than 1000 seeds and they spread like crazy.”

Many people are surprised to learn pampas is not the native toetoe, he says.

Weeds are among the worst things to happen in our local catchment areas, Peter says, because they have taken over from the natives.

Weed seeds spread in water. “What happens is the seeds go down the roadside drains so we have a whole train of weeds coming down.

“We want to educate people to use the right set of plants as the weeds end up in the rivers . . . native plants are required to get the clean water filtering through.”

The exhibition highlights weeds such as pampas grass from South America, moth plant from South America, agapanthus from southern Africa, montbretia from southern Africa via Europe, Japanese honeysuckle from eastern Asia, blue morning glory from the tropics, ivy from Europe, Asia, North America and brush wattle from Australia.

The aim of Project Parore is to control such weeds, to educate and re-vegetate with plants that will contribute to native wildlife and the ecosystem.