Evergreen shrub

New Zealand native evergreen shrub or small tree. Thick, leathery, obovate leaves with rolled down margins, about 6 cm long and 2 cm wide. The leaf undersides and petioles are covered with a dense whitish tomentum. Deep red, fragrant, unisexual flowers in spring, the female ones turning into three- or four-valved seed capsules which eventually split open to reveal shiny black seeds. Provides food for native and exotic birds. Originally occurred naturally near the coast, along streams and in forest margins in the North Island of New Zealand from the North Cape to Poverty Bay, and in the Kermadic Islands. Karo is now naturalised throughout most of New Zealand.

Prefers a sunny or semi-shady position in free-draining soil. Tolerates wind, coastal conditions, relatively dry sites, and moderate frosts (zones 9-11). Usually quite fast growing and problem-free. Prune yearly. Benefits from mulch and compost.

Tough plant with a grey-green overall appearance. Suitable for hedging purposes. The flowers release a delightful scent at night. Excellent choice for seaside gardens as a filler or background plant.

Bushy evergreen tree or shrub with variegated foliage. The leaves are 10-15 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, mid green, blotched along the wavy margins with creamy white. Foliage emits a lemon-like scent when crushed, hence the common name. Terminal clusters of honey-scented, 1-1.5 cm wide, pale yellow flowers during spring.

Pittosporum eugenioides is native to New Zealand where it occurs throughout the country along stream banks, forest margins and in forest clearings from sea level to about 600 m. The variegated form grows a bit slower than the species itself. It has a tapering habit when young, filling out to an open topped tree later on. 

Prefers a sunny or partially shaded position in any well-draining soil. Is more tolerant of damp and heavy soils than most other Pittosporum species, but growth will be compromised. Tolerates coastal conditions, moderately strong winds, and medium frosts.

Suitable for hedging or screening purposes. Good contrasting plant in mixed plantings. Also ideal as a specimen tree in particular when pruned to show off the pale grey bark.

Foliage is often used in floral arrangements.

Evergreen cultivar of the New Zealand native Pittosporum tenuifolium (kohuhu), forming a compact shrub with small light green oval leaves 2-3 cm long. Tiny black or purplish black flowers of about .6 cm across.

Prefers a sunny or semi-shaded position and well-draining soil. Moderately fast growing under average garden conditions. Growth rate is reduced in shade. Avoid wet sites. Responds well to trimming. Tolerates moderate frosts.

Lovely fresh green foliage plant. Tends to grow into a rounded shrub by itself, and with a little help it can be maintained as a perfect ball-shaped plant. A great alternative to the much slower-growing Buxus sempervirens.

Cultivar of the New Zealand native Pittosporum tenuifolium (kohuhu) with dainty foliage and black branches. Fast growing evergreen shrub or small tree. Tiny leaves with a silvery-grey sheen, round initially and gradually becoming oval in shape.

Prefers a position in full sun. Growth is a bit more open in partial shade. Grows well in any well-drained soil other than heavy clay. Reasonably drought tolerant. Avoid wet sites. Frost-hardy throughout New Zealand, and in general tolerates moderate frosts. Fertilise with general purpose fertiliser in spring and autumn. Responds well to trimming.

Attractive plant with delicate foliage and lovely colour contrasts of silver leaves and black branches. Great choice for hedging purposes. If you wish to grow Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Sheen' as a specimen, plant it where you can see the leaves shimmer in the sun. Cut branchlets are suitable for floral art.

Evergreen shrub or small tree with variegated foliage, native to New Zealand. Leaves are flat (as opposed to wavy like the species itself), greyish green with white margins, similar to Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Argenteum Variegatum' but larger and more pointed, to about 5 cm long. Small (to 1 cm wide) dark reddish-black, honey-scented fowers with reflexed petals in spring. Dark grey bark.

Prefers a sunny or semi-shaded position in any, well-draining soil. Tolerates medium frosts and is frost hardy throughout New Zealand. Pittosporum tenuifolium is not as tolerant as Pittosporum crassifolium of coastal conditions and strong winds, but copes reasonably well with dry conditions. Tends to loose its leaves if conditions are too wet.

Ideal as a specimen tree for foliage colour, or as a hedge or screening plant.

Evergreen shrub in the Plumbaginaceae family, native to South Africa, with long,slender stems, glossy, mid-green foliage and pale blue, phlox-like flowers. The spoon-shaped leaves are about 5 cm long. Flowers are tubular (2.5 cm long), with five petals, and are produced on current season's wood in 15 cm wide, terminal racemes, mainly during late summer and autumn. Plumbago auriculata 'Royal Cape' has more intense blue flowers.

Synonym: Plumbago capensis.

Prefers a position in full sun and well-draining, slightly acidic soil, protected from strong winds. Flowering is somewhat reduced in partial shade. Suitable for coastal areas. Reasonably drought tolerant once established. Prune after flowering or any time during winter to create a more bushy and compact shrub. If damage occurs after moderate frosts, the plant usually recovers (USDA zones 8B-11).

When left to grow without pruning, Plumbago auriculata forms an open shrub with graceful, arching branches. You can grow this as a climber by tying the branches to a support structure like a trellis. Plant next to pink-flowering shrubs for a lovely, soft, colour combination. Add plants with a stronger shape (such as Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Golf ball' or clipped Buxus sempervirens balls) and different textural qualities (such as Phormium 'Green Dwarf' or other plants with spiky or strap-shaped foliage).

Evergreen shrub with lanceolate leaves, flowering mainly during autumn and winter with creamy-green flower-heads with purple-red tufts on the bracts. Similar to, but a smaller shrub with smaller flowers than 'Green Ice'

'Limelight' (= 'Green Jade') is a cultivar developed in 1950 in New Zealand, originating from the oleander-leaved or narrow-leaved Protea neriifolia, which is endemic to South Africa.

Prefers a sunny position in acidic, and relatively poor soil. Any soil type is suitable but it must be well-draining. A yearly application of blood and bone in spring is recommended, but otherwise keep the nutrient levels low and don't apply any further fertilisers. In general, proteas dislike humidity, so a relatively windy site is ideal, since the wind keeps the humidity down. Staking will be required in very windy locations. No additional watering is necessary, except maybe in extremely dry summers. Mulch to keep the weeds down or grow as a lawn specimen, to limit the need to remove weeds around the plant and thus disturb its sensitive, shallow root system. They can be pruned quite heavily, but not beyond the foliage. Remove dead and damaged wood, as well as the by-pass shoots that the develop just below the flower-head. Suitable for coastal conditions.

Striking plant when in flower. Perfect for coastal gardens. The flowers (and foliage) last for ages on water. Just be careful not to "kill them by kindness"!

Pseudopanax lessonii hybrid in the Araliaceae family, named after Cyril Watson, a sales manager at Duncan and Davies nursery in New Plymouth, New Zealand, who was instrumental in the development and release of this plant. Bushy, slow-growing, evergreen shrub with lush, green foliage. Leaves are leathery and have 3 to 5 rounded, partially fused lobes with toothed margins. Inconspicuous, greenish flowers in summer.

Prefers a sunny or partially shaded position in any well-draining soil. Seems to cope with full shade quite well also. Tolerates moderate frosts once established, but may require frost protection when young. Trim yearly, or prune relatively hard every couple of years to keep compact and maintain a good shape.

Attractive fresh green foliage plant, perfect as a filler or backdrop for other plants. Suitable for containers.

Erect growing evergreen New Zealand native shrub, probably a hybrid of Pseudopanax crassifolius and Pseudopanax lessonii. Leathery leaves with three to five (3-5 foliolate) long, narrow leaflets with serrated margins. Leaves may become 3-foliolate or even simple (i.e. a single leaf per node) as the plant matures.

Requires well-draining soil and is not tolerant of damp soil conditions. Grows well in any light situation from shade to full sun. Tolerates light to moderate frosts, coastal conditions, dry shade, and exposed sites.

Ideal tub plant. Great as a backdrop for smaller plants and useful as a contrast plant in particular when combined with large-leafed shrubs such as Griselinia lucida or Meryta sinclairii.

Evergreen shrub or small tree in the legume family, with bright green, soft, needle-like leaves. Flowering in early spring with blue and white or lilac and white, pea-like, bee-attracting, scented flowers (to 1.5 cm across) clustered at the ends of the branches. The flowers are followed by small, wrinkled seedpods that each contain a seed. Psoralea pinnata is native to South Africa where it occurs naturally along streams and wet places (i.e. winter-wet areas). It has established itself in other regions of the world such as Southern Australia and the north of New Zealand where it is regarded as a weed. Psoralea pinnata tolerates a wide range of growing conditions, including wind, drought, high rainfall, coastal conditions, and poor soils. Because it is a nitrogen-fixer, it changes the growing environment for the original native plant species that may no longer be able to compete as a result. Germination is stimulated by fire. The pant is relatively short-lived (about 10 years).

Psoralea pinnata prefers a sunny position, except in areas with very high summer temperatures where a partially shaded site is better. Tolerates waterlogged soils, but also copes with occasional drought once estabished. Prune after flowering. Self-seeds quite easily. Tolerates light to moderate frosts (zones 9-11).

Striking tree when in flower. You may need to give it some help in the form of pruning and training to develop a good shape as it does not appear to do so naturally and often has a somewhat straggly, unbalanced appearance.

One of the cultivars of Rhaphiolepis indica, the Indian hawthorn, a tough evergreen shrub from to southern China. 'Enchantress' is also known as 'Pinkie'. Thick, leathery, oblong leaves with toothed margins, dark green above, olive green beneath, developing a bronze tinge later in winter. Star-shaped, 5-petalled, pink with white flowers, 2-3 cm across, in clusters at the ends of branches, mainly during spring. Flowers are followed by small dark blue berries. Most named cultivars of Rhaphiolepis indica are smaller-growing than the species itself which usually reaches a height of about 2.5 m, but can grow even taller in suitable growing conditions.

Prefers a position in full sun and well-draining soil. In extremely hot climates, a partially shaded position is better. Tolerates coastal conditions, wind exposure, and relatively dry soils once established. Trim once a year after flowering to keep compact. Withstands hard pruning. Resents root disturbance.  Moderate frosts to about -10 deg C.  

Great choice for a coastal hedge. Also suitable as a filler, clipped specimen, container plant, or a shrub for flower display after the winter-flowering plants have stopped flowering, and just before the roses begin to flower.  

Herbaceous perennial or evergreen sub-shrub in the Lamiaceae family, native to Mexico and Guatemala. Light to mid green, soft downy, toothed leaves, arranged in pairs, with a stong pineapple scent. Four-angled stems, often becoming woody at their base. Spikes to about 20 cm long, with whorls of bright scarlet red, tubular flowers 3 to 5 cm long, during late summer and autumn. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Flowers and leaves are edible, and are used for example in fruit salads and drinks.

Prefers a sheltered position in full sun and well-draining soil. Leaves may droop during dry periods, but the plant is reasonably drought-hardy and will usually recover after watering. Tolerates poor soils, partial shade, and moderate frosts (USDA zones 8-10). May require staking in exposed areas. Cut back to near ground level after flowering, and bring indoors to overwinter in cold climates, or, in warmer regions, wait for it to come back in spring. In frost-free zones, or areas with light to moderate frosts, you can treat this  as an evergreen shrub, pruning in winter to maintain a well-shaped, compact plant. 

Salvia elegans is a fast-growing plant with a brilliant flower colour and fresh green leaves. Great addition to herb gardens, but will quickly grow into quite a tall shrub, so plant behind smaller growing herbs. In flower borders, combine this with other bright colours, such as warm oranges, yellows and reds to create a dramatic scene of hot colours. In combination with plants that have bold flower shapes such as dahlias, sunflowers, and Echinacea, Salvia elegans flowers add a touch of daintiness.

Shrub white, woolly stems and narrow, dull green, wrinkled leaves. Very free-flowering with spikes of violet purple flowers during summer and autumn. Cut back to near ground level in winter to keep the plant bushy. Native to Mexico and tropical America.

Evergreen, low-growing, spreading shrub to 1.5-2 m with golden yellow flowers during winter. Attracts nectra-feeding birds.Tubular flowers, 3-5 cm long, appear well before flowers of other commmonly grown kowhais. Pinnately compound leaves with small leaflets.

The common name for New Zealand Sophora species is kowhai. Sophora molloyi occurs naturally in dry, exposed headlands around the southern part of the North Island of New Zealand. 'Dragons Gold' is a selection developed by Terry Hatch of Joy Plants, Pukekohe, New Zealand, and originated from seedlings grown from seed obtained from Sophora molloyi on Stephens Island. The selection was named 'Dragons Gold' in reference to the tuatara population on Stephens Island.

Prefers a sunny or partially shaded position in any free-draining soil. Grows somewhat slower in poor soils. Tolerates exposed sites, coastal conditions and medium frosts (hardy throughout New Zealand). Drought tolerant once established. Trim after flowering to maintain a tidy habit. Can be trained as a standard. Suitable for hedging purposes, but fewer flowers will be produced with regular trimming. Keep an eye out for caterpillars. Insecticide applications may be necessary to prevent the Kowhai moth caterpillar from defoliating the plant.