Introduction
Overview
New Zealand native flowering plants display a remarkable diversity of forms, colours, and ecological strategies. From the iconic kōwhai (Sophora spp.) with its bright yellow blooms to the vibrant red flowers of the pōhutukawa ( Metrosideros excelsa ), these plants provide essential food for native birds and insects. Many species, such as Clianthus maximus (Kākābeak) and Veronica salicifolia (Koromiko) (Hebe salicifolia is a synonym of Veronica salicifolia), are popular in gardens for their ornamental value and ability to attract pollinators. Native flowering plants are crucial for maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting biodiversity.
About New Zealand's Native Flowers
New Zealand's native flowering plants offer unique colours and forms that have evolved in isolation. While often more subtle than exotic garden varieties, our native flowers have special adaptations to local conditions and provide essential food for native birds, bees, and other pollinators. Alpine specialists like NZ Plantain showcase remarkable evolutionary adaptations to high-altitude environments, while spectacular bloomers like Mountain Buttercup create brilliant golden carpets of colour across New Zealand's high country. Adding native flowering plants to your garden helps support local ecosystems.
Explore Our Native Flowering Plants
Grass Lily
Herpolirion novae
Herpolirion novae-zelandiae , the grass lily or sky lily, is a tiny creeping lily only 2-6 cm tall that forms grass-like swards from slender underground stems.
Learn more
Grassland Willowherb
Epilobium pictum
Grassland willowherb (Epilobium pictum) is a slender, spreading willowherb endemic to the South Island and one of New Zealand's most threatened plants, ranked Threatened.
Learn more
Nodding Greenhood
Pterostylis nutans
Nodding greenhood ( Pterostylis nutans ) is a small terrestrial orchid from eastern Australia that has occasionally turned up in New Zealand.
Learn more
Guano Groundsel
Senecio sterquilinus
Guano groundsel (Senecio sterquilinus) is an endemic, densely branched, sprawling daisy up to 0.6 m tall and wide, with fleshy, glossy dark green leaves and large heads.
Learn more
Haast's Buttercup
Ranunculus haastii
Haast's buttercup (Ranunculus haastii) is a stout, fleshy, blue-grey alpine buttercup endemic to the eastern South Island mountains, from southern Marlborough through.
Learn more
Haast's Carrot
Anisotome haastii
Haast's carrot ( Anisotome haastii ) is an endemic New Zealand member of the carrot family that grows in the mountains of the South Island.
Learn more
Heart-Leaved Orchid
Acianthus sinclairii
Acianthus sinclairii, the heart-leaved orchid or pixie cap, is a small endemic ground orchid found throughout New Zealand, from Raoul Island and the Three Kings Islands.
Learn more
Lees Valley Daisy
Brachyscome pinnata
Lees Valley daisy ( Brachyscome pinnata ) is a small, rosette-forming daisy endemic to Canterbury, and one of New Zealand's rarest grassland plants.
Learn more
Scree Lobelia
Lobelia roughii
Scree lobelia ( Lobelia roughii ) is a hairless perennial herb endemic to the South Island mountains of Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago.
Learn more
Mount Egmont Buttercup
Ranunculus nivicola
Mount Egmont buttercup ( Ranunculus nivicola ), also called mountain buttercup, is a robust endemic buttercup of the North Island high country.
Learn more
Mt Anglem Gentian
Gentianella gibbsii
Mt Anglem gentian (Gentianella gibbsii), also called Gibbs's gentian, is a small white-flowered herb found only on Mt Anglem (Hananui) and Little Mt Anglem on Stewart.
Learn more
New Zealand Anemone
Anemonastrum tenuicaule
New Zealand anemone (Anemonastrum tenuicaule, formerly Anemonastrum tenuicaule ) is New Zealand's only native anemone, a small endemic herb of damp subalpine ground.
Learn more
Ngakawau Gorge Daisy
Celmisia morganii
Ngakawau Gorge daisy (Celmisia morganii) is a lowland to montane daisy endemic to the Ngakawau district north of Westport, recorded from the Ngakawau River gorge.
Learn more
North Island Edelweiss
Leucogenes leontopodium
North Island edelweiss ( Leucogenes leontopodium ) is a low, sprawling alpine subshrub in the daisy family, endemic to New Zealand.
Learn more
Odd-Leaved Orchid
Aporostylis bifolia
The odd-leaved orchid ( Aporostylis bifolia ) is a small terrestrial orchid and the only member of a genus found nowhere but New Zealand.
Learn more
Oliver's Greenhood
Pterostylis oliveri
Oliver's greenhood (Pterostylis oliveri) is a terrestrial orchid found only in the western South Island, from North-west Nelson south to about Arthur's Pass National.
Learn more
Onion-Leaved Orchid
Microtis parviflora
Onion-leaved orchid ( Microtis parviflora ) is a native terrestrial orchid with a single hollow, onion-like leaf and a slender spike of 10 to 80 tiny green flowers.
Learn more
Hairless Cress
Pachycladon fastigiatum
Hairless cress (Pachycladon fastigiatum) is an endemic perennial herb in the cabbage family that grows on upland and subalpine rocks in the drier interior mountains of.
Learn more
Panapana
Cardamine dolichostyla
Panapana, or New Zealand bittercress, is the native perennial cress long known as Cardamine debilis or the Cardamine dolichostyla regate.
Learn more
Petrie's Mountain Daisy
Celmisia petriei
Petrie's mountain daisy (Celmisia petriei) is a robust tufted herb endemic to the South Island, ranging from southern Marlborough and North Westland southward and.
Learn more
Pinakitere
Geranium homeanum
Pinakitere (Geranium homeanum) is a perennial native cranesbill with a stout taproot, rounded deeply lobed leaves up to about 9 cm across and small pale pink flowers.
Learn more
Mud Pondweed
Potamogeton suboblongus
Mud pondweed ( Potamogeton suboblongus ) is an endemic aquatic perennial that spreads by rhizomes through shallow, muddy water.
Learn more
Rock Willowherb
Epilobium petraeum
Rock willowherb ( Epilobium petraeum ) is a compact, hairless alpine willowherb endemic to the South Island, forming low shrublets up to 40 cm across and about 10 cm tall.
Learn more
Shrimp-Flowered Greenhood
Pterostylis porrecta
Shrimp-flowered greenhood ( Pterostylis porrecta ) is a small endemic ground orchid known from widely scattered sites in the North and South Islands.
Learn more
Small-Flowered Nightshade
Solanum americanum
Small-flowered nightshade (Solanum americanum, now usually called Solanum americanum) is a bright green to purple-green annual or short-lived perennial herb up to about.
Learn more
Small-Leaved Cranesbill
Geranium microphyllum
Small-leaved cranesbill (Geranium microphyllum) is a slender, prostrate perennial herb with small, deeply lobed leaves up to 4 cm across and white flowers with petals 4.
Learn more
Snares Islands Anisotome
Anisotome acutifolia
Snares Islands anisotome (Anisotome acutifolia) is a giant herb in the carrot family that grows nowhere in the world except the Snares Islands, south of Stewart.
Learn more
Spencer's Gentian
Gentianella spenceri
Spencer's gentian ( Gentianella spenceri ) is a South Island gentian of subalpine beech forest, found from Nelson through Westland to about the Whitcombe River.
Learn more
Cockspur Flower
Coleus australis
Cockspur flower ( Coleus australis , now Coleus australis) is an aromatic perennial herb in the mint family that grows up to about 1 m tall from a tuberous base.
Learn more
Grassland Hypericum
Hypericum involutum
Grassland hypericum (Hypericum involutum) is a small native perennial herb with erect, four-angled stems up to 25 cm tall rising from a woody base, and golden yellow.
Learn more
Stewart Island Aniseed
Gingidia flabellata
Stewart Island aniseed ( Gingidia flabellata ) is a small, stout perennial herb in the carrot family (Apiaceae) found only on Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Learn more
Stewart Island Speargrass
Aciphylla traillii
Stewart Island speargrass ( Aciphylla traillii ) is a small, tufted member of the carrot family endemic to Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Learn more
Swamp Willowherb
Epilobium pallidiflorum
Swamp willowherb (Epilobium pallidiflorum), also listed by NZPCN under the name tarawera, is the tallest native willowherb, a robust rhizomatous herb 0.25 to 1.4 m tall.
Learn more
Tin Range Mountain Daisy
Celmisia polyvena
Tin Range mountain daisy (Celmisia polyvena) is a silvery-white mountain daisy found only in the far south of Stewart Island/Rakiura, mostly on the Tin Range and south.
Learn more
Tūtunāwai
Persicaria decipiens
Tūtunāwai, also called swamp willow weed or slender knotweed ( Persicaria decipiens ), is an indigenous wetland herb found from near North Cape to Southland.
Learn more
Marsh Willowherb
Epilobium chionanthum
Marsh willowherb ( Epilobium chionanthum ) is an endemic willowherb of swamps, bogs and wet grassy or sedgy swards.
Learn more
Wilson's Willowherb
Epilobium wilsonii
Wilson's willowherb ( Epilobium wilsonii ) is a clump-forming perennial herb endemic to the South Island, where it grows only on limestone and other calcareous rocks.
Learn more
Marsh Yellow Cress
Rorippa palustris
Marsh yellow cress ( Rorippa palustris ), known to Māori as poniu, hānea and kōwhitiwhiti, is a taprooted wetland herb in the cabbage family.
Learn more
Native Carrot
Anisotome brevistylis
Native carrot (Anisotome brevistylis) is an endemic perennial herb in the carrot family found in montane grassland and rocky places of the South Island, from about.
Learn more
Alpine Avens
Geum uniflorum
Alpine avens ( Geum uniflorum ) is a low, loosely mat-forming endemic herb of South Island and Stewart Island mountains, up to 20 cm tall in flower.
Learn more
Yellow Alpine Buttercup
Ranunculus godleyanus
Yellow alpine buttercup ( Ranunculus godleyanus ) is a stout, hairless high-alpine buttercup endemic to the central Southern Alps.
Learn more
Swamp Buttercup
Ranunculus macropus
Swamp buttercup ( Ranunculus macropus ), also known as raoriki or waoriki, is a robust semi-aquatic buttercup endemic to New Zealand.
Learn more
Slender Chickweed
Stellaria gracilenta
Slender chickweed ( Stellaria gracilenta ) is a small, wiry perennial herb endemic to New Zealand.
Learn more
Soft Cranesbill
Geranium potentilloides
Soft cranesbill ( Geranium potentilloides ) is a sprawling perennial native geranium with slender, many-branched stems, small deeply lobed leaves up to 3 to 4 cm across.
Learn more
Marlborough Edelweiss
Leucogenes neglecta
Marlborough edelweiss ( Leucogenes neglecta ) is an evergreen alpine subshrub in the daisy family, endemic to the mountains of Marlborough between the Wairau and Awatere.
Learn more
Yellow Eyebright
Euphrasia cockayneana
Yellow eyebright ( Euphrasia cockayneana ) is a slender annual herb endemic to the South Island, standing only 50 to 100 mm tall.
Learn more
Creeping Eyebright
Euphrasia dyeri
Creeping eyebright ( Euphrasia dyeri ) is a delicate, succulent annual herb endemic to the South Island and Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Learn more
Forest Gentian
Gentianella grisebachii
Forest gentian ( Gentianella grisebachii ), also called common gentian, is one of New Zealand's most widespread native gentians, found from Mt Pirongia and the Raukumara.
Learn moreGrowing Native Flowers in Your Garden
Tips for Success with Native Flowers
Native flowering plants can add colour and interest to your garden while providing food for native birds and insects. Most prefer well-draining soil and a sunny position, though some forest species will appreciate partial shade. Consider the natural habitat of each species when planning your garden.