Horned poppy (Glaucium flavum) is an invasive plant species native introduced to New Zealand in 1878. It has since naturalised and is now considered an environmental weed. This plant thrives in dry, poor soils, such as coastal cliffs, dunes, and braided rivers, where it outcompetes native grasses and herbs.
The plant is frost-tolerant and can withstand hot, dry conditions, making it particularly resilient in New Zealand’s coastal environments.
It is an eye-catching and common weed on the coast, however, due to its extensive spread, it has been deemed unfeasible to control.
