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.
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”
We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?
Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.
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40.8% Yes
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33.4% Maybe?
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25.8% No
Blue Christmas Service, Pukekohe
7.30pm Thursday, December 18, at Pukekohe Anglican Church, cnr of Queen St and Wesley St.
What is a "Blue Christmas" servicе?
These services are held in churches around the world to offer a space for people to gather in the lead-up to Christmas. It acknowledges that for some, Christmas can be a sad and difficult time due to various losses experienced during the year, or because grief processes are still being worked through. It
recognises that it is painful to have people missing from our Christmas table and celebrations.
We open the invitation to anyone who is remembering the death of a loved one, or who faces a difficult Christmas season for other reasons, such as ill health, redundancy, separation, loneliness and so on.
There will be an opportunity to light candles and to hear words of comfort and reassurance. Please extend this invitation to anyone you know of who may appreciate it – family, neighbours, work colleagues and so on.
We hope to see you at St Andrew's (43 Queen St, Pukekohe) at 7.30pm on Thursday, December 18.
For further information, contact Jan Wallace on 238 7723, 027 452 1366 ог jan.wallace@xtra.co.nz
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