The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

I like J.R.R. Tolkein, and even if the second installment of the The Hobbit doesn't quite follow the book its all good fun. Except that I was disgusted to see Dwarves, Hobbit and Wizard fleeing orcs and wargs across a field of Russell Lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus) in some eastern South Island locale. OK - show casing N.Z. the film maybe doing but lupins? Please Peter Jackson you can do better. But this pales when I see a line of "New Zealand Seeds" at Auckland Zoo and there nestled next to endemic Pachystegia and Clianthus is, proudly labelled 'Classical Road Side Colour" Russell Lupin seeds for sale? Is this a joke? What do people out there think?

This is pretty appalling! We should write a letter to the zoo and perhaps also a letter to the editor of one of the papers.
Also see the wilding conifers which feature so much in the first and second Hobbit films.

Ok. I will talk to zoo. I forgot about the pines - alas so common place now even I forget they are not indigenous. Reminds me of an Oregon hitchhiker I picked up once on the Rangipo who when asked about Godzone complained that we had "too many God-dammed pines!"

In the foreground of each Country Calendar introduction is Salvation Jane/Pattersons' curse/Echium sp, which is becoming a significant weed in Hawkes Bay and is a very serious problem in South Australia. I've spent many hours trying to get rid of it from Te Mata Park, where it has spread rapidly. Most people have no idea what it is and it was a popular subject for pix until recently.

Yes, the same species is widespread in the Eastern South Island and is the source of the famous "Blue Borage Honey". I have heard honey sellers rave about the near mystical properties of this "native" plant. Understandable but sad really.

There was a huge battle between the authorities and bee keepers before a biological control was released in South Aust-apparently 50% of the honey crop was threatened.

I've long been annoyed by those packets of seeds (although I must confess I once bought a pack of lupins for a botanical friend as a joke). I think they market one set as NZ natives and the other as NZ wildflowers....but really they all come across as natives...

I also got very annoyed while listening to National Radio (a couple of years ago, I think it was on "This Way Up") when they interviewed a woman about "seed bombs" she was selling at a Wellington market. Her bombs contained wildflower mixes, which she encouraged people to throw from car windows to make our highways "more beautiful" like the ones she had seen while travelling outside of NZ. I'm not sure if it's just me, but I feel like our road sides are becoming more colourful and perhaps there are people out there scattering packets of seeds like the ones you've highlighted above....so frustrating!

I agree with the comments above. My pet peeve is seeing 'New Zealand' iconic pampas flower heads which I am guessing is supposed to be toetoe.

An update. BTW the seed distributor is McGregors. I spoke to Auckland Zoo shop staff today and they pulled the lupin seed packets immediately. I can't fix 'The Hobbit' though. Someone else can take on that juggernaut.

I have just visited the McGregors site, both Russel lupin and foxglove are listed under NZ Natives on the website. Can I suggest a little affirmative action here: everyone who cares go to the website and express your concerns/disappointment.

http://www.mcgregors.co.nz/contact-us