Purple groundsel (Senecio elegans), also known as wild cineraria or red-purple ragwort, is an annual herb native to South Africa. Introduced to New Zealand in the 1930s, it has become an invasive species, particularly in coastal regions. This plant thrives in sand dunes, where it can outcompete native vegetation, leading to significant ecological impacts.
It is an eye-catching and common weed on the coast, however, due to its extensive spread, it has been deemed unfeasible to control.
