Flaxes
Toe Toe - (Austroderia)
Frost hardy
Fast growing
Evergreen
Grows in and tolerates a range of habitats from sand dunes to the mountains, dry to damp soils.
Great for riparian plantings or revegetation sites.
Sends a white fluffy plume flower in January
Height at maturity (3 years)
2m wide x 3 m tall
Mountain Flax - (Phormium Cookianum)
Frost hardy
Evergreen
Wide, shiny-green, weeping leaves.
Seed pods January - March
Large root system, good for erosion control
Attracts birds with nectar from seeds
Tolerants - dry, cold and windy exposure
Height at maturity (5 years)
1.5m wide x 1.5m tall
NZ Swamp Flax -Phormium Tenax (Harakeke)
Large, traditional flax
Seeds January - March
Attracts birds with nectar from seeds
Excellent for erosion control, shelter & riparian plantings
Suits a wide variety of sites from dry to wet
Very hardy
Evergreen
Fast growing
Height at maturity (5 years)
2m wide by 3m tall
Trees
Ribbonwood - (Plagianthus Regius)
Hardy
Fast growing NZ native tree
Great choice as a pioneer plant and for revegetation
Good shelter and specimen tree
Semi-deciduous
Hardy
Cream flowers in summer
Wind resistant
Riparian plant
Height at maturity
4m wide x 12m tall
Lacebark - Hungere (Hoheria Augustifolia)
Evergreen
Fast growing
Wind hardy
Frost tender when young
Good shelter and specimen tree
Prefers sunny, moist, fertile soil, free draining sites
Scented white flowers in summer
Riparian plant
Height at maturity
3m wide x 8 m tall
Black Matipo - Kohuhu (Pittosporum Tenuifolium)
Hardy
Evergreen
Suitable to a range of sites
Compact tree or shrub
Can be trimmed and shaped
Great hedging
Green leaves with black markings
Attracts birds and bees
Berries and seeds from January to June
Riparian plant
Height at maturity
3m wide x 6m tall
Lemonwood - Tarata (Pittosporum Eugeniodes)
Hardy
Large leaves the Black Matipo
When break leaves smell like lemon
Can be trimmed as a tree, shrub or hedge
Tolerates wet soils
Fruits change from white to dark blue
Great food source for native birds
Good low shelter
Riparian plant
Height at maturity
3m wide x 12m tall
Whiteywood - Mahoe (Melicytus Ramiflorus)
Evergreen
Frost tender when young
Small tree
Flowers in spring followed by purple/black berries
Attracts birds/bees/insects
Grey/white bark
Commonly found in NZ native bush
Suits dry to moist soils
Height at maturity
3m wide x 9m tall
Cabbage Tree - (Cordyline Australis)
Hardy
Fast growing
Iconic NZ tree
Like to be planted in groups of 3 or more
Multi- trunked
Scented flowers spikes mid summer
Attracts birds and bees
Suits many sites from dry to wetlands
Striking amongst grasses/flaxes
Riparian plant
Height at maturity
2m wide x 10 m tall
Can get up to 20m sometimes
Manuka - Tea Tree (Leptospermum Scorparium)
Fast growing
Evergreen
White flowers
Scented tea tree leaves
Attractive to bees
Great nursery crop for native regeneration.
Avoid heavy frosts
Riparian plantings
Height at maturity
3m wide x 4 m tall
Kanuka - Rawirinui (Kunzea Robusta)
Slower growing than Manuka
Very hardy to dry, frosts, poor soils
Often confused with Manuka
White flowers
Attractive to bees
Can be identified by flaky bark
Nurse plant for revegetation
Riparian plantings
Height at maturity
3-4m wide x up to 8m tall
Kowhai - (Sophora Tetraptera)
Medium sized tree
Frost tender when young
Semi-deciduous
Suited to moist areas but not water logged
Full sun, part shade
Yellow flowers September-November
Nectar in flowers attracts birds and bees
Nitrogen fixation due to roots
Height at maturity
3m wide x 10m tall
Kahikatea - (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides)
Tallest growing NZ Native Tree
Slow growing
Edible fruit and attractive to birds.
Fruits February to April
Intolerant of heavy frosts
Best planted in wet, moist soils
Full sun or part shade
Height at maturity
5m wide x 50m tall
Ake Ake - Green & Purple (Dodonaea Viscosa)
Evergreen
Fast growing
Full sun or partial shade
Flowers in summer
Great for hedging and able to be trimmed
Tolerates dry conditions
Frost tender when young
Prefers drained soils
Riparian planting
Height at maturity
2.5m wide x 7m tall
Totara - (Podocarpus Totara)
Frost tender when young
Evergreen
Grow in a wide range of sites
Fruits March-May
Attracts birds
Nectar October-December
Dry/Moist sites
Full sun or partial shade
Height at maturity
8m wide x 15m tall
Wineberry - (Makomako)
Fast growing
Deciduous
Rose coloured flowers in the Spring
Frost tender when young
Great shade tree
Prefers moist/wet sites
Full sun to partial sun
Height at maturity
3m wide by 6m tall
Rewarewa - (Knightia Excelsa)
Narrow tree
Red flowering tree attractive to birds
Well drained site required
Shelter when young
Evergreen
Tolerates light frosts
Tolerates droughts
Likes full sun or partial shade
Height at maturity
5m wide x 20m tall
Pittosporum Colensoi
Evergreen
Hardy
Flatter shinier leaf than Tenuifolium
But not as compact at Tenuifolium
More tolerant of wet than Tenuifolium
Height at maturity
3m wide x 5m tall
Grasses
Carex Secta - (Makura Sedge)
Hardy
Fast growing
Evergreen
Can be trimmed to shape and size
Wetland plant, prefers moist/wet soils
Tolerates dry
Erosion control
Riparian plantings
Height at maturity
1.5m wide x 1.5m tall
Carex Virgata - (Pukio Sedge)
Hardy
Evergreen
Dry tolerant
Does not mind wet but not permanently
Can be trimmed and shaped in gardens
Courser leaves than Secta
Full sun or partial shade
Dry/moist soils
Height at maturity
1m wide X 1m tall
Carex Testacea - (Orange Sedge)
Attractive display
Hardy
Green to orange colour
Best in full sun to achieve colour
Can be trimmed and shaped
Dry/moist soil
Full sun or part shade
Height at maturity
0.6m wide x 0.6 m tall
Poa Cita - (Silver Tussock)
Fast growing small tussock
Green
Can be trimmed to shape
Handles poor soils and dry areas
Feather flower head in summer
Looks great in mass plantings
Height at maturity
0.7m wide by 0.7m tall
Hebe Stricta - (Koromiko)
Fast growing spreading shrub
Long white spike of flowers in summer
Edge of wetlands
Full sun
Does not tolerate shade
Revegetation
Pioneer Plant
Height at maturity
1m wide x 1m tall
Miniature Toi Toi -(Chionochloa Flavicans)
Hardy
NZ Native tussock
Prefers free draining site
Green foliage and Lime green flower heads in summer
Striking in mass and great for landscaping projects
Prefers sun
Height at maturity
1.5 wide x 1.2 tall
Coprosma Lucida & Robusta - (Karamu)
Hardy
Small compact tree or shrub
Can be trimmed
Evergreen thick glossy leaves
Attracts birds
Attracts bees
Red/orange berries and seed from January-June.
Great low shelter or hedge
Height at maturity
3m wide X 6m tall
Coprosma Propinqua - (Mingimingi)
Hardy
Tolerates wet soils
Tough large shrub with interlaced foliage
Fruit that changes from white to dark blue
Food source for birds
Great for mixed native plantings
Height at maturity
2.5 wide x 5m tall
Dianella Nigra - (Turutu)
Type of small flax
Bright blue berries in summer
Attractive to native birds
suitable for dry, damp, wet areas
Does better in semi-shade
Perfect as substitute for larger flaxes
Height at maturity
50cm tall x 30cm wide
Renga Renga - (Rock Lilly)
Used as a ground cover and under trees
Look spectacular in mass
Green arching leaves
White star shaped flowers
Flowers spring to mid summer
Can be sensitvie to frost so better if under trees etc
Hardy so will bounce back
Height at maturity
1m tall x 1m wide
Get in touch
Phone: 0274751612 (Steve)
Phone: 0272916064 (Steph)
Opening times
We're open by appointment, so please call.
Address
715 Waikite Valley Road, RD1, Rotorua