Habitat: bank, clay, cliff, coast, dry, hill, loam, lowland, margin, open, pasture, roadside, rock outcrop, sand, shrubland, slope, stone, terrace, tree, wasteland

Dispersal: Seed

 Recognition
  • a large spiny shrub growing 2-5 m tall and spreading up to 5 m across.
  • its stems are densely hairy and grey or whitish when young, turning reddish-brown or darker grey as they mature.
  • short side-branches are formed off the main branches which bear most of the elongated entire leaves.
  • the upper leaf surfaces are dark green, almost hairless and shiny, while their undersides are densely hairy and whitish.
  • its white flowers (8-12 mm across) have five petals and are borne in dense clusters.
  • its small berry-like fruit (5-9 mm across) are turn yellow or orange when ripe.

[From: Environmental Weeds of Australia]

 References
Biosecurity New Zealand 2012: Regional Pest Management Strategies Database. http://www.biosecurityperformance.maf.govt.nz/
Biosecurity New Zealand 2008: National Plant Pest Accord. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand, Wellington.
Howell, C. 2008: Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. DOC Research & Development Series 292: 42.
Ministry for Primary Industries 23 Feb 2017: Unwanted Organisms Register. Version 02.01.02. https://www1.maf.govt.nz/uor