Common Ice-plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), a dew-spangled exotic relative of Australia’s friendly native pigfaces. The name ‘Ice-plant’ refers to the prominent bladder cells which store water … Read the full post
Hairy Willow-herb (Epilobium hirtigerum)
Hairy Willow-herb (Epilobium hirtigerum), an ephemeral Australian native plant whose lifeways flit between areas of disturbance. Hairy Willow-herb is adapted to exploit sites of short-lived … Read the full post
Yellow Glandweed (Bellardia viscosa)
Yellow Glandweed (Bellardia viscosa), a hemi-parasitic European broomrape spread to Australia in the late 19th century in contaminated grass seed. The species colonises paddocks, along … Read the full post
Cotton Fireweed (Senecio quadridentatus)
Cotton Fireweed (Senecio quadridentatus), a native Australian member of the genus demonstrating that its exotic cousins are not the only members of Senecio with capacity … Read the full post
Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paralias)
Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paralias), a Mediterranean spurge introduced to Australian coasts and now actively transforming dune environments around the continent’s southern perimeter. Sea Spurge alters … Read the full post
African Thistle (Berkheya rigida)
African Thistle (Berkheya rigida), a fantastically prickled perennial aster introduced to Australian ports (and apparently no other global destination) in the ballast of empty ships … Read the full post
Sweet Briar (Rosa rubiginosa)
Sweet Briar (Rosa rubiginosa), brought to Australia as grafting stock, a sometimes hedge and a domestic source of rose hip tea. Spread by birds and … Read the full post
Paterson’s Curse (Echium plantagineum)
Paterson’s Curse (Echium plantagineum), a Western Mediterranean annual rendered iconic by the extent and impact of its Australian invasions. This colour out of space was … Read the full post
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare), a Eurasian medicinal herb and ubiquitous inland nuisance of grazed land and roadside throughout SE Australia. Unpalatable to sheep, with seed cases … Read the full post
Hairy Pink (Petrorhagia dubia)
Hairy Pink (Petrorhagia dubia), one of a pair of Western Mediterranean species of the genus that were introduced to Victoria in contaminated seed. It can … Read the full post
Bluebell Creeper (Billardiera fusiformis)
Bluebell Creeper (Billardiera fusiformis), a Western Australian climbing shrub that has become a catastrophic success story following introduction to southeastern Australia as an ornamental native … Read the full post
‘Peruvian’ Squill (Scilla peruviana)
‘Peruvian’ Squill (Scilla peruviana), a perennial bulb of the western Mediterranean that has formed adventive, self-sustaining colonies when left to its own devices in southeastern … Read the full post
Thread Iris (Moraea setifolia)
Thread Iris (Moraea setifolia), a minute South African perennial naturalised across dry interior regions of southern Australia. In Australia, the plant was first collected in … Read the full post
Caper Spurge (Euphorbia lathyris)
Caper Spurge (Euphorbia lathyris), another latex-exuding Southern European ornamental selection, now naturalised in riparian woodlands throughout Southern Australia. Caper Spurge combined excellent vertical structure, drought-hardy … Read the full post
Myrtle-leaf Milkwort (Polygala myrtifolia)
Myrtle-leaf Milkwort (Polygala myrtifolia), a South African ornamental shrub and one of several dominant weeds in residential scrub around Port Phillip Bay, and on Mornington … Read the full post
Hoary Cress (Lepidium draba)
Hoary Cress (Lepidium draba), a Eurasian mustard globalised in the 1800s in contaminated seed and ship ballast. The first Australian infestation reportedly occurred at the … Read the full post
Tree Mallow (Malva arborea)
Tree Mallow (Malva arborea), a Mediterranean coastal shrub. Described in 1859 as very common in Australian gardens, the plant offered instant vertical colour; an 1886 … Read the full post
Tobacco Nightshade (Solanum mauritianum)
Tobacco Nightshade (Solanum mauritianum), a South American shrub introduced to Australia as an ornamental selection, naturalised on that basis, and then distributed further as a … Read the full post
Laurestinus/Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus)
Laurestinus/Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) growing as a novel component in the damaged understoreys of Yarra Bend. Laurustinus was a core component of the Victorian garden toolkit, … Read the full post
Common Catchfly (Silene gallica)
Common Catchfly (Silene gallica), a species of southern European origin distributed around the world as a contaminant in imported crop seed. Common Catchfly was recorded … Read the full post
North African Catchfly or Mountain Carnation (Silene pseudoatocion)
North African Catchfly or Mountain Carnation (Silene pseudoatocion), an obscure member of the genus, originating in Spain and Algeria, which has been distributed around the … Read the full post
Hairy Abutilon (Abutilon grandifolium)
Hairy Abutilon (Abutilon grandifolium), a South American plant similar in appearance to various South Asian Abutilons, hence another common name ‘Hairy Indian Mallow’. Although there … Read the full post
Wild Sage (Salvia verbenaca)
Wild Sage (Salvia verbenaca), a Mediterranean steppe perennial introduced to Australia as a casual medicinal herb and a likely contaminant of imported seed or stock. … Read the full post
Boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera)
Boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera), this time profiling the presence of this invasive shrub aster in the inner metropolitan. The photographs here show the species … Read the full post
Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera)
Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera), a stone fruit native to the Balkans and to Western Asia, adopted and selected for its ornamental qualities (as well as … Read the full post
Boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera)
Boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera), a South African coastal shrub aster now more widespread in Australia and New Zealand than in its native range. Boneseed … Read the full post
Geraldton Carnation Weed (Euphorbia terracina)
Geraldton Carnation Weed (Euphorbia terracina), a Mediterranean perennial established across southern Australia as a weed of pasture, roadsides and bushland. Also called False Caper Spurge … Read the full post
Oval Heron’s-bill (Erodium malacoides)
Oval Heron’s-bill (Erodium malacoides), a ‘mallow-leafed’ geranium native to the Mediterranean basin but spread to similar climates around the world as a contaminant of seed … Read the full post
Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (Geranium molle)
Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (Geranium molle), a Eurasian annual introduced to 19th century Australia as a contaminant of grain and fodder seed. This geranium has been noted … Read the full post
Trailing African Daisy (Dimorphotheca fruticosa)
Trailing African Daisy (Dimorphotheca fruticosa), a showy South African aster that has springboarded back into ruderal ecology in an increasing number of Mediterranean climates around … Read the full post