
Whatever you do don't confuse either of them with the exotic pampas grass, Cortaderia jubata (pink tinge) and C. selloana which flower roughly in between A. fulvida and A. toetoe and have the give away spiralled dead leaf bases that resemble wood shavings around the base of the clump.
Despite this high toxicity it was an extremely popular drink historically as the juices of the fleshy 'berries' (like Muehlenbeckia, actually swollen flower parts) are free from the tutin toxin. Juice from the berries was strained and either fermented into wine or mixed with boiled seaweed to make a dark coloured jelly. Other parts of the plant were used in countless topical salves and poultices for cuts, sprains, bruises and many other ailments.
Several Coriaria species are very common in New Zealand and surprisingly poorly known considering their danger. C. sarmentosa is a sprawling low shrub that can cover large areas around Wellington's south coast, clinging to rocky banks and cliffs and producing beautiful, large spikes of almost black fruit. Were it not for its risk to humans and animals alike, we might get to enjoy this attractive plant more widely. It certainly has an important place in our local coastal ecosystem, providing easily accessible juicy fruits in a place where many plants tuck their goods down tightly in the sharp salty winds.
Because it dies down in winter, dry storing the seed to ensure germination in warmer conditions may increase seedling survival, especially after pricking out.
Propagate Pre treatment: remove fruit, dry and sow Germination: 4 months Pricking out: 6 - 10 months after sowing Tips: variable germination time but very easy to grow once up |
Propagate Pre treatment: sow fresh Germination: ~ 6 weeks Pricking out: I got one plant from the sowing and divided it into several once big enough Tips: prefers very dry habitats and will not cope with overwatering though its deep roots need to reach moisture and not get too hot. Mix extra pumice or sand into the growing media |
The seed heads are those small balls of fluff on the top of the mat. Like most mat forming and ground cover plants Raoulia is easy to propagate from divisions because it sprouts roots from the stems as it spreads so you just cut off a small section with roots and plant it. The down side of divisions (or any type of cutting) is that there is no genetic variation so its always preferable to grow from seed.
These all have a surprisingly long seed maturation period, they slowly turn fluffy then sit on the seed head for what seems like forever. Don't be tempted to pick them too early, seeds disperse when they're ready and this one is dispersed by wind so they should be dry and brown like the ones above and come away very easily when grasped.
Like several of our most threatened species it is very popular in home gardens for its striking grey foliage and red flowers and is happy in most open situations.
Propagate Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months Germination: 2 - 6 months Pricking out: 6.5 - 7 months after sowing Tips: These are slow growers so allow at least a couple of years between pricking out and planting out |
Flowering
Northern rata (Metrosideros robusta) meaning 'sturdy iron heart', an absolute stunner at this time of year. Tell it apart from pohutukawa by its more orange rather than deep red flowers, its more yellowish green leaves rather than silvery blue green, and up close, the small apical notch in the tip of the smaller leaf. | Pennantia corymbosa (kaikomako), the bold creamy flowers that take over the show from Parsonsia will be followed by black berries. |
above: Carpodetus serratus (putaputeweta, marbleleaf) above: Carmichaelia australis (common broom) right: Apium prostratum subsp. prostratum var. filiforme (NZ celery) | above: Samolus repens var. repens (Sea primrose, shore pimpernel, water pimpernel) above: Pimelea prostrata subsp. seismica (NZ Daphne, pinatoro) |