Pimelea prostrata
Pimelea prostrata is a low, mat-forming coastal and alpine shrub with small leaves, white flowers and often white berries. It’s excellent for rock gardens, coastal plantings and erosion control on banks in sunny, free-draining sites. native shrubs
Image credit: Strathmore Weed (Pimelea prostrata). Wikipedia
| Scientific Name | Pimelea prostrata |
|---|---|
| Height | 5–15 cm |
| Spread | 50–100+ cm, mat-forming |
| Water Needs | Low once established |
| Light | Full sun to light shade |
| Frost Tolerance | High |
| Salt Tolerance | Good (coastal tolerant) |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Lifespan | Long-lived groundcover |
Adaptable from coastal sands to alpine screes; prefers free-draining soils and good light.
| City | Climate Suitability |
|---|---|
| Whangārei | Ideal |
| Auckland | Ideal |
| Hamilton | Ideal |
| Tauranga | Ideal |
| Rotorua | Ideal |
| Gisborne | Ideal |
| New Plymouth | Ideal |
| Napier | Ideal |
| Whanganui | Ideal |
| Palmerston North | Ideal |
| Wellington | Ideal |
| Nelson | Ideal |
| Christchurch | Ideal |
| Dunedin | Ideal |
| Invercargill | Ideal |
Free-draining, sandy or gravelly soils; avoid waterlogging.
Full sun for compact habit; light shade tolerated.
Low once established; moderate during establishment.
Strathmore Weed (Pimelea prostrata) is a naturally low-maintenance plant that generally requires minimal pruning. If desired, a light trim can be performed after flowering to maintain its tidy mat-forming shape and encourage denser growth. It is also beneficial to remove any dead, diseased, or damaged stems to improve air circulation and light penetration within the plant. Avoid heavy pruning, as this can stress the plant and detract from its natural prostrate form. Early spring, before new growth begins, is also an ideal time for light pruning to promote a healthy structure.
Autumn or spring; ensure free drainage.
Variable species with several forms; widely distributed from coast to alpine in Aotearoa.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
Use as a living mulch among rocks and stepping stones in sunny, free-draining spots.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
New Zealand daphne plays important ecological roles in specialized habitats throughout New Zealand, providing food resources for native insects through its small flowers and contributing to the distinctive plant communities that characterize various ecosystems from coastal to montane environments. The plant's specialized growth form and habitat requirements make it important for maintaining ecosystem diversity, while its relationships with native pollinators and other organisms contribute to the complex ecological networks that sustain native biodiversity.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
New Zealand daphne faces conservation challenges from habitat modification, trampling by recreational users, and competition from invasive weeds that can impact its specialized habitat requirements. The species' specific environmental needs and often limited local distributions make it vulnerable to environmental changes and human impacts. Conservation efforts focus on protecting specialized habitats, managing recreational impacts, controlling invasive species, and maintaining the specific environmental conditions essential for this distinctive native shrub's survival in its various natural habitats.
This plant has cultural associations in Aotearoa and is valued in restoration and gardens for ecological services; use eco‑sourced stock near natural areas.
New Zealand daphne was recognized by Māori for its distinctive appearance and its role in specific coastal and montane environments, occasionally used for traditional purposes and valued as an indicator of specific environmental conditions in traditional ecological knowledge. The plant's unique growth form and specialized habitat requirements made it recognizable among native shrubs, while its presence indicated specific soil and climatic conditions. The species continues to hold cultural interest as one of New Zealand's distinctive native shrubs and represents the remarkable adaptability of native plants to diverse environments.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
This section provides important information about plant care and cultivation practices. Understanding these aspects helps ensure successful growth and development in garden conditions.
