A Weed By Any Other Name?

What's your definition of a weed? This beautiful flowering shrub (Duranta erecta, verbena family) is listed as 'an environmental weed' in Australia. In some of the other countries where it grows (including South America and the Caribbean) it is valued as an ornamental plant.

I think that people use the word 'weed' when they find a plant growing where they don't want it to. I really like this delightful shrub which is in full flower now in Queensland. In Tonga they call it mavaetangi 'Tears Of Leaving'.