Watch out for this pretty flower
Green thumbs are being asked to watch out for a beautiful but toxic flower that could be growing in their backyards.
What you need to know:
- Every part of the plant is poisonous, and can cause gastroenteritis, thirst, paralysis, blindness, and heart and kidney failure.
- This plant is hardy and normal pest control efforts are often not enough to eradicate.
- The cape tulip, growing up to 90cm high with one strap-like leaf, was introduced to Aotearoa in the 1940s, the Ministry for Primary Industries’ manager for pest management John Sanson said. “Cape tulips, like many of these invasive weeds, are really attractive ornamental species ...but they escape over people’s backyard fences and into pasture, as these things often do,”
- It was classified as a noxious plant in the late 1970s after they were discovered to cause harm to livestock and humans, even killing animals when too much as ingested.
- The salmon-pink flowers bloom for about two days a year between June and December, and have previously been an ornamental species for keen gardeners.
Sanson urged people who believed they had the weed growing on their property to leave it untouched and contact Biosecurity New New Zealand’s Exotic Pest and Disease on 0800 80 99 66.
Once a site was confirmed, manual removal or chemical treatment would start.
Roading contractors have made a good start for the summer programme
The District’s road repair season is off to a good start, with a third of summer’s rehabilitation projects completed.
Infrastructure Chairman Simon Reid says sections of Russell Road (Whakapara), Marua and Snooks roads have already been renewed.
“This year, we have been closing roads and detouring traffic around some worksites to reduce the overall time spent on the repairs, so teams can move onto new jobs faster. It has already paid off, cutting weeks from the timeframes so far.”
Over the next three months, Fulton Hogan will complete two sections of Pipiwai Road (central and north), Tatton Road and Roydon Drive, while Downer will rehabilitate sections of Three Mile Bush Road South, Raumanga Valley Road and Flyger Road.
Seal extensions are also scheduled for sections of McLean Road (south) and Gray Road (north).
“We are currently working on Pipiwai Road, next to the Northland Golf Club, and the job should be completed early in December. We will then start preparing Three Mile Bush Road and Pipiwai Road, by Matarau Road.”
Councillor Reid says design work for the rest of the sites is almost complete, and the whole programme should be complete by March 2025 if the weather holds.
“When overnight temperatures have risen enough, we will start repairs to sites where gravel stripped off the seal after a sudden cold snap during last year’s construction season. We will report back on that in coming weeks. The contractors will cover the cost of those repairs."
📷 Shown here: Culvert replacement on Mangapai Road, with a temporary alternative route built to keep traffic off the work-site.
Calling All Puzzle Masters! Can You Solve This?
When John was six years old he hammered a nail into his favorite tree to mark his height.
Ten years later at age sixteen, John returned to see how much higher the nail was.
If the tree grew by five centimetres each year, how much higher would the nail be?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Win this brand new home!
Experience the perfect blend of country charm and city convenience in Clarks Beach, Auckland!
For just $15 a ticket, you could win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home, valued at over $1 million.
This home offers three bedrooms, spacious kitchen and living areas, and a double garage.
Whether you decide to make it your dream home, a holiday retreat, a rental property or simply sell it, it’s still a life-changing prize.
Don’t wait—get your tickets today at heartlottery.org.nz.
Loading…
