At the house where I grew up, we had Japanese honeysuckle growing wild all around. My brother and I loved it and would pull the flowers off and suck out the sweet nectar. The flowers have a lovely scent and we’d often pick handfuls and put them in vases inside. Only later as it took over more and more of the garden, did we realise it was an invasive weed.
New Zealand isunique biodiversity. You only have to take a walk through our native bush to appreciate how special it is. There are a number of threats to our beautiful environment here though, including the invasion of pest plants – most of them originating from overseas. Often these pest plants can be found in our own backyards and gardens as well. Using natural eradication methods, such as pulling by hand, pruning, mulching, and introducing natural predators, we can play a crucial role in protecting our native flora and fauna.
