AKEAKE KakarikiDodonaea viscosa. Green. A great fast growing tree. Distinctive papery seed capsules. Akeake makes an excellent screen that can protect less hardy plants.
AKEAKE WheroDodonaea viscosa. Red. A great fast growing tree. Distinctive papery seed capsules. Akeake makes an excellent screen. The red variety is native to Takaka hill so extremely hardy and can handle frost.
AKEAKEOlearia avicenniaefolia. Mountain Akeake. A small tree with sweet scented showy flowers and olive colourd leaves with buff tomentum undersides and thin papery bark. Tolerates exposure. Nectar good for insects and birds. Flowers late summer. Hardy.
AKIRAHOOlearia paniculate. Has yellow-green, oval-shaped leaves, with white undersides and wavy margins. Produces clusters of daisy vanilla scented flowers in late autumn. Fast growing hedge or low shelter.
KOROKIOCorokia cotoneaster Tough hedging and ornamental shrub. Attractive fine silvery-grey foliage with masses of small bright yellow flowers in early summer. Densely interlaced divaricating branchlets. Red berries a feature from February-April. Evergreen. Very hardy to drought, wind and cold.
KAKAHAAstelia chathamica Silver spear. Striking silver leaves provides visual interest in the garden. Orange berries which are attractive to birds. Needs good drainage. Best in a sheltered spot protected from heavy frosts. Evergreen.
NGAIOMyoporum laetum. Fast growing small tree bearing glossy yellow-green to dark green leaves with stunning spotted oil glands. Showy white flowers with spots. Fruit purple, on a stalk. Great for providing shelter and shade on coastal sites.
PUTAPUTAWETA Carpodetus serratus Marble leaf. Forms an attractive tree with divaricating branches. Small serrated leaves, panicles of tiny white flowers. Great for revegetation or in the larger garden.
TARATAPittosporum eugenioides. Lemonwood is an attractive tree, glossy yellow-green leaves that when crushed emit a strong lemon scent. Great for planting near water ways as can handle wet feet. Plant in shade or full sun.
TITOKIAlectryon excelsus. A great specimen tree, bright green leaves, scarlet red fruit with a black eye which is very attractive to native birds. Oil from the leaves are a natural insect repellent. Frost tender when young.
KĀNUKAKunzea ericoides. Common tree of the northern South Island only. A fast growing tree. The leaves are softer to touch than Manuka. Has smaller white flowers in Summer. It is very hardy, tolerating drought, frosts and poor soils. A a great choice for revegetation.
KŌTUKUTUKUFuchsia excorticata, Tree fuchsia can grow up to 12 meters tall making it the largest fuchsia in the world. It likes to grow along streams and rivers. Initially green-yellow, the flowers change to purple-red and are a rich source of nectar for birds. The birds get covered by the bright blue pollen.
KOHEKOEDysoxcylum spectabile. It has sweet scented orchid like flowers that grow straight form the trunk its leaves look more like a tropical tree. Spectacular landscaping tree also known as the mahogany of Aotearoa.
MAKOMAKOAristotelian serrata. Lovely spotted red tinged leaves with sharp serrations, just like the teeth of its namesake, the mako shark. Spring flowers smother the trees in a pink flush. The rich wine-coloured fruit is a favourite of Tui and Kereru.
KARAMŪCoprosma robusta Is a fast-growing tree, it competes well with gorse. Laden with bright orange fruit for many months of the year. Great for attracting birds. Shade tolerant. Great for revegetation projects.
NGUTUKĀKĀClianthus maximus. Kakabeak, named for its beautiful red flowers, which hang in clusters of 15-20 blooms and are shaped liked a Kākā bird's beak. Often starting to flowers mid-winter.Loved by the Korimako & Tui. Being a member of the pea family, it can fix nitrogen. Best to plant in sheltered site.
NGUTUKĀKĀClianthus maximus ‘albus’ A rare white variant of kakabeak, which has been brought back from extinction in the wild in 2015. Bearing showy large white flowers from early summer. All Kakabeak are sensitive to frost and severe wind, so plant in sheltered well drained area.
KOWHAISophora microphylla. This iconic tree Has a tangled juvenile form. In spring the tree is covered with its beautiful bright yellow flowers. Hardy good to grow in most sites.
NIKAURhopalostylis sapida. The only native palm to mainland Aotearoa. A sculptural plant adding a tropical look at any stage of growing. It is slow growing but can eventually reach a height of 10m or more. Frost free, shady & sheltered site.
Tī KŌUKACordyline australis. One of the most distinctive trees in Aotearoa. Lovely scented flowers in early summer, which turn into bluish-white berries that birds love to eat. Perfect for revegetation as it tolerates many soil and climate conditions and likes wet areas.
MIKOIKOILibertia peregrinans. Creeping Iris. Stunning dark orange foliage. A spreading plant with charming white flowers in spring and summer. The orange colouring is more intense when it is grown in harsh conditions. Tolerant of both full sun and shade. Hardy.
HOUHEREHoheria sexstylosa Lacebark grows into a slender tree about 8m tall. Distinctive juvenile stage. In midsummer the tree is smothered with starry white flowers. Good shelter and specimen, great in mixed borders. Fast growing and vigorous.
PUKIOCarex secta. A sedge with fine leaves and arching form. It is the only sedge to grow a trunk, so it can cope with fluctuating water levels making it the perfect plant for stream sides and wetland edges. Great bird habitat. Will hold stream banks together and is a natural way to clean water ways.
TOE TOEAstroderia Richardii. South Island Toe Toe. A very large stout tussock sharp-edged leaves from 1 to 3 m long, have large creamy one sided drooping flower plumes on tall stems. Top choice for stream planting and farm shelter belts can grow on a wide range of sites .
OIOIApodasmia similis. jointed rush the delicate leaves have brown joints at various points along the leaf. Endemic to Aotearoa. It can transform from dark green to a bright orange. A great hardy plant resilient to climate extremes as well as be able to form dense habits to suppress weeds
WIWIFicinia nodosa. Dark green to red-green round leaves. A common rush in swampy areas fringing wetlands. Useful for wet areas and revegetation of wetlands. Will tolerate dry conditions for short periods. Wiwi will do a great job at keeping water ways clean.
HARAKEKEPhormium tenax. This is the tall swamp flax. It has sword-like leaves up to 3 meters long growing in fan shapes. The nectar is an essential food for Tui. Best plant for shelter belt and excellent for erosion control and shade along streams.
TŌTARAPodocarpus totara, The majestic forest canopy tree. After the Kauri may be the longest living tree in Aotearoa attaining an age of 1000 years or more. Attractive specimen and durable timber tree. Will grow in a wide range of sites including very exposed and partially shaded. Fruit from March-May attracts birds. Nectar from October-December attracts bees.
PŌHUTUKAWAMetrosideros excelsa, Grows into a large, broad-headed tree with thick, green grey leaves. A profusion of glowing, crimson-red flowers. They attract nectar-seeking birds. Can be pruned as hedges and screens or left as a specimen. Thrives in coastal situations. Will tolerate poor soils, wet, and drought conditions.
MAUKOROCarmichaelia australis, native broom, is well worth growing for its stunning white and purple flowers. An upright bush with tiny inconspicuous leaves. Stems are flattened. Attractive to bees. Hardy can tolerate windy and cold sites.
HOROEKAPseudopanax crassifolius. Lance wood is a unique small tree with lance like foliage that changes dramatically as the tree matures. Scientists call the condition of having very distinct juvenile and adult forms ‘heteroblasty’. A very attractive architectural tree.
TĀNEKAHAPhyllocladus trichomanoides. A very graceful tree endemic to Aotearoa. Grows into pyramidal or conical shape. Foliage resembles leaf of celery Hardy. Tolerates most soils. Prefers moist, some shade.
PĀPĀUMAGriselinia littoralis. Big glossy leathery green leaves and yellow stem. Grows into a small round tree. Excellent shelter belts. Trims well into a dense hedge. Very hardy can deal with frost and drought.Dark purple berries attractive to birds.
KAWAKAWAMacropiper excelsum. excelsum Beautiful heart-shaped aromatic leaves and long orange fruit which attract Kereru. Great as a tea or culinary spice. Evergreen. Prefers some shade and moist soil. Frost tender.
RENGA RENGAArthropodium birfurcatum. A native lily. It forms a clump of wide, leathery, bright green leaves, 1m wide and 60cm high. From late spring to mid-summer it sends up multiple bracts of 1m tall flower stems, covered in small white flowers with a sweet fragrance. A magnificent landscaping plant ideal for mass plantings. Grows in a range of soil conditions great for holding banks together.
MĀNUKALeptospermum scoparium. Good for revegetation as it has wide ecological tolerance. It grows fast. It has the ability to colonise sites, particularly those with low fertility and low temperature. And of course the flowers and the bees!
TAUPATACoprosma repens shrub or small tree up to 8 m tall, prostrate and widely spreading in exposed sites. broad glossy, dark-green leaves. Showy clusters of orange/red fruit from January-March are great for attracting birds. Fine on coast. Hedges well. Shade tolerant.
PUAWHANANGA Clematis paniculata New Zealand Clematis A very attractive climber with masses of white flowers in spring. Prefers moist but well-drained soil with roots in a cool shady place and foliage in the sun. Frost hardy.
MINGIMINGICoprosma rhamnoides Twiggy Coprosma. A divaricating shrub with very small leaves, green in shade, turn plum coloured in full sun. Plant several to get lovely blood red fruit on the female. Can be shaped as desired. Hardy.
WHARANGIMelicope ternate. A small tree which bears thick glossy lime green leaves. In summer it has clusters of small scented cream coloured flowers which result in black fruits which are great for birds. Good for shelter or screening. Tolerant of dry periods.
KANONOCoprosma autumnalis (Large-leaved Coprosma) Has attractive, yellow-green leaves that are mottled with dark-green and purple. Orange berries are a favourite for many native birds. Best in a sheltered site with cool soils and regular moisture. A great option for bush restoration.
HUKIHUKICoprosma tenuicaulis, swamp coprosma, is a dense small-leafed shrub that can tolerate some shade. The leaves have a conspicuous network of veins. The flowers are white. Tolerates poorly drained soil soil so is great grown around waterways or in mass native plantings, hardy, low growin.
TORORAROMuehlenbeckia astonii. Muehelenbeckia astonii A divaricating shrub with a wiry interlacing habit. Beautiful small heart-shaped leaves. Popular landscaping plant, providing great texture. Fast growing. Deciduous. Very hardy, can tolerate dry or wet conditions.
PUREICarex Testacea. Easy to grow sedge lime-green and bright orange foliage. Best colour in full sun. Handsome at all times of the year, great in mass plantings or for texture and contrast in landscaping. Hardy .
