Friday, February 24, 2012
Pretty Weed
In a front yard near my tram-stop there are several standard plants covered with these attractive purple and white flowers:
The bees love them; as I'm going to work the shrubs are covered in bees feasting on nectar. The plant is Duranta erecta, a native of the tropical Americas, which is an invasive weed in Queensland and other places. Apparently the leaves and berries are toxic to at least some mammals (including humans), but according to the Weeds Australia page, bats spread the seed. So fruit bats presumably aren't affected by the toxin?
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2 comments:
They are gorgeous. It is the variety Duranta repens (syn. erecta) 'Geisha Girl', a little better behaved, although care is still recommended if you are near bushland.
Thanks for the more accurate identification, Dee!
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