Favourite flowering shrub is actually a weed
NICHOLAS BOYACK
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Hutt News
Agapanthus gets a bad rap from environmentalists but the Hutt City Council does not regard the popular plant as a major problem.
The national co-ordinator of Weedbusters, Carolyn Lewis, generated national publicity by calling on owners of holiday homes "to take some time this summer to get rid of the harmful ornamental plant species" in their gardens.
Agapanthus can be seen in just about every street in the Hutt and on many road reserves.
Council reserves manager Craig Cottrill told us for an article last February the plant is not on the list of banned plants.
However, he urged people not to plant it and to remove it from their garden where possible.
The council was trying to remove the plant from reserves and he encouraged people to instead plant natives.
Last week, parks manager Bruce Hodgins said the council does not have a policy on agapanthus but his personal view is it is not a major problem.
"I do not think it is a priority in terms of our budget; there are weeds that are much worse than that."
Council project manager Chris Close said that in the Hutt environment, agapanthus are not the problem they are in other parts of the country.
It does not grow particularly well in shade or in native bush and does not spread rapidly like it does in some coastal areas.
In the past, the council has planted the species but he says their use is being phased out.
The council removes agapanthus it finds near beaches, as that is where it can take over.
The city council's budget for weed control is about $200,000 and there are many weeds that are a far bigger problem, he says.
Weeds such as old man's beard and passion banana, that aggressively smother native bush, are the priority.
Some nurseries sell a sterile dwarf version of agapanthus and he says that is a good variety to plant if you want it in your garden.
A number of bush reserves in the Hutt Valley have hydrangeas growing in them. Mr Close says there is some anecdotal evidence that hydrangeas were planted in the 1950s, in native bush, to provide colour.
These days native bush is viewed more positively but he says the council does not have a policy to get rid of the hydrangeas.
It is a question of finance and he says hydrangeas do not tend to spread. However, he discourages people from dumping garden cuttings containing hydrangeas, as they grow from a cutting.
Ms Lewis says agapanthus are destroying coastal, dune, bush and wetland ecosystems throughout New Zealand.
"It's a sad fact that the beautiful natural areas that New Zealanders value for rest and recreation are being destroyed by the weedy species that have commonly been planted there in the past by those establishing their gardens there."
zWeedbusters' Plant Me Instead booklet provides advice on how to deal with agapanthus and non-weedy species that can be planted in their place.
It available free on request to info@weedbusters.org.nz, or from most regional council and Conservation Department offices.
Advice on controlling agapanthus and other weedy species can be found at weedbusters.org.nz.
- Hutt News
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