Pouwhiwhi, Glen Esk Road

Last week I reported on a wander round Piha and one of the things I wondered about was what looked like a very aggressive climbing weed in Glen Esk Road, with stunning violet flowers. Jack Craw, Manager Biosecurity at Auckland Council tells me this is in fact a native, Ipomoea cairica or Ipomoea palmata, normally found in remote coastal islands. Maori name is pouwhiwhi, common name Coastal Morning Glory. For more about this plant go to Native Plants O-T and scroll down to pouwhiwhi.