Some trees can “talk” to each other. When willows are attacked by webworms and caterpillars, they emit a chemical that alerts nearby willows of the danger. The neighbouring trees then respond by pumping more tannin into their leaves making it difficult for the insects to digest the leaves. Just for Fun Q: What is a [...]
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PLANTS THAT TOLERATE WET SITES Acer Rubrum (American Red Maple) Broadly columnar, deciduous. Clusters of small red flowers before the leaves. Bluey-white under the leaves, which turn bright red in autumn. Grows to 15-25m. Cordyline Austalis (NZ Cabbage Tree) Single stem initially, then branched with strap-like leaves, evergreen. Grows to 5-10m. Phormium Tenax (NZ Swamp [...]
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Not only have New Zealand’s Tui been described as one of the seven best songsters in the world, they are key pollinators for many native plants and important seed dispersers for native trees such as kowhai. Sadly, Tui disappeared from Banks Peninsula about 20 years ago due to a variety of reasons including habitat loss, [...]
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