South African bitou bush was extensively planted on the eastern Australian coast in the mid 20th Century to stabilise the sand dunes following mining. However it is now perceived as the scourge of the eastern seaboard as it forms vast monocultures and threatens ecosystem health and the survival of native species and communities. Despite the environmental opposition to such seemingly misused plants, they are beautiful in their own right. This photograph illustrates bitou bush leaves in their full glory as the sun exposes the translucent midvein and accentuates the contrasting red and green foliage against a background of the grey-purple hues of plant death.