Skip to main content

Story: Weeds of the bush

German ivy

Image
German ivy

Originally from South Africa, German ivy (Senecio mikanioides) smothers small trees and low-growing vegetation. It grows 3–5 metres high, and prevents native seedlings from establishing themselves. It is often the first exotic vine to appear on bush edges, and will support more aggressive or taller vines such as Japanese honeysuckle and blue morning glory.

Using this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Melanie Lovell-Smith

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Bob Brockie, Weeds of the bush – Vines and scramblers, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13622/german-ivy (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Bob Brockie, published 2 March 2009, updated 18 April 2016.