Helichrysum petiolare
Environmental Weed (2024)
Common names
liquorice plant
Biostatus
Exotic
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
Flower colours
Cream, Yellow
Detailed description
Scrambling or trailing perennial with ovate-deltate leaves 2-3 cm long. Leaves densely hairy, either grey or greenish yellow (Webb et al 1995).
Habitat
Has been collected from sand dunes, the margins of peat bogs, on yellow-brown and yellow-grey earths, cliff faces, and in urban situations. Once established very competitive, even in indigenous shrubland
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Ecology
Year naturalised
1991
Origin
S. South Africa
Tolerances
Appears to prefer coastal and lowland habitats. However, very tolerant of a range of climatic extremes and will even grow in waterlogged soils such as peat. Appears resistent to mild frosts
Life cycle and dispersal
Can seed freely in cultivation when more than one clone is present (Webb et al 1995). Grows from wind dispersed seed, layering and/or vegetative spread from garden refuse dumps
Other information
Etymology
helichrysum: From the Greek words helios ‘sun’ and chrysos ‘gold’, referring to the colour of the flowers of some species
Environmental Weed (2024)
This plant is named in a list of 386 environmental weeds in New Zealand 2024 prepared by DOC. 759 candidate species were considered for inclusion on this new comprehensive list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. The species considered were drawn from published lists of weed species, lists of plants that must be reported or managed by law if observed, existing national and regional programmes and agreements for pest management, and species already managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC). Candidate species were then assessed to see if they were fully naturalised and whether they have more than minor impacts in natural ecosystems. Read the full report here.