Introduction
Overview
New Zealand native ground covers are diverse, hardy plants that form low-growing mats and carpets, perfect for stabilizing soil, covering difficult areas, and creating attractive underplantings. These resilient species include Acaena species (Bidibidi), Fuchsia procumbens (Creeping Fuchsia), and Leptinella species, many of which produce distinctive flowers, fruits, or seasonal colour changes. Native ground covers are invaluable for erosion control, wildlife habitat, and low-maintenance landscaping in challenging sites where traditional lawn struggles to thrive.
Lobelia perpusilla
Lobelia perpusilla
Lobelia perpusilla is one of New Zealand's smallest lobelias, a slender creeping herb whose name means very tiny.
Learn more
Raoulia youngii
Raoulia youngii
Raoulia youngii is a small alpine daisy endemic to the South Island of New Zealand.
Learn more
Mazus arenarius
Mazus arenarius
Mazus arenarius is a small, creeping, mat-forming herb endemic to the southern coast of New Zealand, where it grows in seasonally damp hollows between sand dunes and in.
Learn more
Mazus pumilio
Mazus pumilio
Swamp mazus ( Mazus pumilio ) is a prostrate, creeping perennial herb that forms rosettes of soft, toothed leaves joined by rhizomes, with lilac and white flowers marked.
Learn more
Montia angustifolia
Montia angustifolia
Montia angustifolia is a small, mat-forming endemic herb of lake and tarn shores in the eastern South Island.
Learn more
Montia campylostigma
Montia campylostigma
Montia campylostigma is a small endemic herb of the family Montiaceae that forms loose to compact mats up to 70 cm across.
Learn more
Montia racemosa
Montia racemosa
Montia racemosa is a small endemic herb confined to the ultramafic mineral belt of Nelson and Marlborough, where it grows on serpentine screes such as those of Dun.
Learn more
Montia sessiliflora
Montia sessiliflora
Montia sessiliflora is an endemic mat-forming herb of wet places in the South Island mountains.
Learn more
Celmisia parva
Celmisia parva
Celmisia parva is a small, ground-hugging mountain daisy endemic to the western South Island, from North-West Nelson south to about the Paparoa Range.
Learn more
Celmisia prorepens
Celmisia prorepens
Celmisia prorepens is a creeping mountain daisy from the high block mountains of Otago, first collected on the Old Man Range.
Learn more
Celmisia ramulosa var. ramulosa
Celmisia ramulosa
Celmisia ramulosa var. ramulosa is a small, much-branched woody mountain daisy from the upper montane and subalpine rocks and fellfield of Otago, Southland and Fiordland.
Learn more
Celmisia ramulosa var. tuberculata
Celmisia ramulosa
Celmisia ramulosa var. tuberculata is a dwarf woody mountain daisy of the Central Otago ranges, mainly in the east of the district.
Learn more
Glossostigma cleistanthum
Glossostigma cleistanthum
Mudmat ( Glossostigma cleistanthum ) is a tiny creeping aquatic herb, usually less than 2 cm tall, that forms turf on silty and sandy lake shores.
Learn more
Lagenophora cuneata
Lagenophora cuneata
Lagenophora cuneata , formerly spelt Lagenifera cuneata , is a very small, slender native daisy endemic to New Zealand.
Learn more
Lagenophora sublyrata
Lagenophora sublyrata
Lagenifera lanata , now known as Lagenophora sublyrata , is a small tufted daisy with soft, velvety, grey-green to dark green leaves in a ground-hugging rosette.
Learn more
Veronica colostylis
Veronica colostylis
Veronica colostylis , long known as Parahebe brevistylis , is a small endemic subshrub of the southern South Island mountains, rarely more than 15 cm tall.
Learn more
Veronica decora
Veronica decora
Veronica decora , long known as Parahebe decora , is a tiny mat-forming subshrub endemic to the South Island.
Learn more
Veronica planopetiolata
Veronica planopetiolata
Veronica planopetiolata , formerly Parahebe planopetiolata , is a tiny alpine subshrub endemic to the southern South Island.
Learn more
Hydrocotyle dissecta
Hydrocotyle dissecta
Hydrocotyle dissecta is a creeping native pennywort endemic to New Zealand, recognised by its softly hairy, dull green leaves that are cut more deeply than in any of its.
Learn more
Hydrocotyle hydrophila
Hydrocotyle hydrophila
Hydrocotyle hydrophila is a tiny, water-loving pennywort endemic to New Zealand.
Learn more
Hydrocotyle microphylla
Hydrocotyle microphylla
Hydrocotyle microphylla is a small-leaved native pennywort endemic to New Zealand.
Learn more
Hydrocotyle pterocarpa
Hydrocotyle pterocarpa
Hydrocotyle pterocarpa is a native pennywort of lowland wet ground and swamp margins in the North and South Islands, also found in Tasmania and mainland Australia.
Learn more
Hydrocotyle robusta agg
Hydrocotyle robusta
Hydrocotyle robusta is an endemic New Zealand pennywort and, as its name suggests, a sturdier plant than most of its relatives.
Learn more
Peperomia leptostachya
Peperomia leptostachya
Peperomia leptostachya , long known in New Zealand as Peperomia leptostachya var. floribunda, is a perennial herb of the pepper family.
Learn more
Phyllachne clavigera
Phyllachne clavigera
Phyllachne clavigera is a small, dense cushion plant endemic to New Zealand, belonging to the trigger plant family, Stylidiaceae.
Learn more
Phyllachne rubra
Phyllachne rubra
Phyllachne rubra is a small cushion or mat-forming plant endemic to the South Island, in the trigger plant family Stylidiaceae.
Learn more
Pimelea microphylla
Pimelea microphylla
Pimelea microphylla is a tiny, cushion-forming native shrub only about 6 cm high and up to 25 cm across, with crowded, leathery leaves just 2.5 to 3 mm long.
Learn more
Gonocarpus aggregatus
Gonocarpus aggregatus
Gonocarpus aggregatus is a small, wiry, creeping herb in the water milfoil family (Haloragaceae) found only in New Zealand.
Learn more
Gonocarpus incanus
Gonocarpus incanus
Gonocarpus incanus is a wiry, erect or loosely branched herb up to 40 cm tall in the water milfoil family (Haloragaceae), endemic to New Zealand.
Learn more
Raoulia subulata
Raoulia subulata
Raoulia subulata is a small, tufted daisy endemic to the South Island, found from Nelson south to Southland, mostly east of the main divide.
Learn more
Schizeilema roughii
Schizeilema roughii
Azorella roughii, formerly Schizeilema roughii , is the most robust of New Zealand's former Schizeilema species, a creeping mountain herb of the carrot family endemic to.
Learn more
Scleranthus brockiei
Scleranthus brockiei
Scleranthus brockiei is a small, closely branched cushion herb in the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae).
Learn more
Eryngium undulatum
Eryngium undulatum
Sea holly ( Eryngium undulatum ) is a small, prostrate, prickly herb of the carrot family, endemic to New Zealand and long known here as Eryngium undulatum .
Learn more
Argentina anserinoides
Argentina anserinoides
Silverweed ( Argentina anserinoides , formerly Potentilla anserinoides ) is a low, endemic perennial herb in the rose family that spreads by slender, hairy runners.
Learn more
Gaultheria nubicola
Gaultheria nubicola
Gaultheria nubicola is a small, densely matted, creeping shrublet endemic to New Zealand, forming patches up to about 1 m across in the mountains of the South Island.
Learn more
Gaultheria parvula
Gaultheria parvula
Gaultheria parvula is one of the smallest New Zealand snowberries, a creeping, matted shrublet that forms patches about 30 cm across in the mountains of the eastern.
Learn more
Stackhousia minima
Stackhousia minima
Stackhousia minima is a tiny, hairless perennial herb endemic to New Zealand and the only member of its genus here.
Learn more
Callitriche aucklandica
Callitriche aucklandica
Callitriche aucklandica is a small, creeping water starwort found only on the subantarctic Auckland Islands.
Learn more
Crassula mataikona
Crassula mataikona
Crassula mataikona is a minute, moss-like succulent herb endemic to New Zealand.
Learn more
Crassula peduncularis
Crassula peduncularis
Crassula peduncularis is a delicate annual succulent herb that is native to New Zealand, Australia and southern South America.
Learn more
Crassula ruamahanga
Crassula ruamahanga
Crassula ruamahanga is a small perennial succulent herb endemic to New Zealand that forms bright green mats, from small diffuse patches to large dense carpets.
Learn more
Styphelia nana
Styphelia nana
Leucopogon nanum , now called Styphelia nana , is one of New Zealand's smallest shrubs: a creeping, rhizomatous member of the heath family that usually stands only 5 to.
Learn more
Raoulia buchananii
Raoulia buchananii
Raoulia buchananii is a small cushion-forming daisy endemic to the mountains of the southern South Island.
Learn more
Raoulia mammillaris
Raoulia mammillaris
Vegetable sheep ( Raoulia mammillaris ) is a cushion-forming daisy endemic to the South Island mountains, mostly east of the main divide and centred on Canterbury.
Learn more
Raoulia rubra
Raoulia rubra
Raoulia rubra is a small vegetable sheep, a cushion-forming daisy endemic to the mountains on either side of Cook Strait.
Learn more
Epilobium angustum
Epilobium angustum
Epilobium angustum is a small, creeping willowherb that forms low mats of crowded, copper to green leaves with a distinctive dimpled, shiny upper surface.
Learn more
Epilobium billardiereanum
Epilobium billardiereanum
Willowherb (Epilobium billardiereanum) is a sprawling coastal herb forming patches to 1 m wide on damp sand flats and lagoon edges. At Risk - Declining.
Learn more
Epilobium margaretiae
Epilobium margaretiae
Epilobium margaretiae is a small creeping alpine willowherb found only in the mountains of Nelson, from Kahurangi National Park and Mt Arthur to the Travers and Bryant.
Learn more