Native Shrubs of New Zealand | NZ Native Plants

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Introduction

Overview

New Zealand native shrubs are a diverse group of plants that fill important roles in forests, shrublands, and gardens. They provide food and shelter for birds and insects, stabilize soils, and add structure to natural and designed landscapes. Notable species include Coprosma repens (Taupata), Griselinia littoralis (Broadleaf), and Olearia paniculata (Akiraho). Many native shrubs are valued for their resilience, attractive foliage, and ability to thrive in a range of conditions, making them popular choices for restoration and landscaping projects. Species like Lacebark with its distinctive textured bark and narrow leaves, and Muskwood with its aromatic silvery-grey foliage, add unique architectural elements to gardens. Alpine species like Bush Snowberry , Leatherwood , and Leafy Tree Daisy are particularly hardy, thriving in challenging mountain environments with their distinctive foliage shapes and reliable flowering.

Spatulate Coprosma

Spatulate Coprosma

Coprosma spathulata

Unique bushy shrub with spoon-shaped leaves; adaptable to various forest and scrubland habitats.

Swamp Coprosma

Swamp Coprosma

Coprosma tenuicaulis

Swamp-dwelling coprosma that thrives in wet soils and frosty valleys.

Mikimiki

Mikimiki

Coprosma virescens

Elegant divaricating shrub with coppery-green branches; remarkably tough and architectural.

Wall's Coprosma

Wall's Coprosma

Coprosma wallii

Rare and architectural shrub with distinctive orange inner bark and dark red berries.

Three Kings Cabbage Tree

Three Kings Cabbage Tree

Cordyline obtecta

Three Kings Cabbage Tree is a native New Zealand plant with notable features; well suited to New Zealand plantings.

Dwarf Cabbage Tree

Dwarf Cabbage Tree

Cordyline pumilio

Dwarf Cabbage Tree is the smallest of New Zealand's native Cordylines; ideal for coastal gardens and accent plantings.

Matagouri

Matagouri

Discaria toumatou

Thorny divaricating shrub of dry country; valuable habitat and shelter plant.

Needle-leaf Dragon

Needle-Leaf Dragon

Dracophyllum acerosum

Needle-leaf Dragon is a native New Zealand plant with notable features; well suited to New Zealand plantings.

Slender Dragon Tree

Slender Dragon Tree

Dracophyllum elegantissimum

Slender Dragon Tree is a native New Zealand plant with notable features; well suited to New Zealand plantings.

Fiordland Grass Tree

Fiordland Grass Tree

Dracophyllum fiordense

Fiordland Grass Tree is a native New Zealand plant with notable features; well suited to New Zealand plantings.

Thread-leaved Dracophyllum (Dracophyllum filifolium)

Thread-leaved Dracophyllum

Dracophyllum filifolium

Thread-leaved Dracophyllum is an erect shrub with fine, grass-like leaves and white flowers, common in mountain environments.

Neinei

Neinei

Dracophyllum latifolium

Neinei is a native New Zealand plant with notable features; well suited to New Zealand plantings.

Gumland Grass Tree

Gumland Grass Tree

Dracophyllum lessonianum

Gumland Grass Tree is a native New Zealand plant with notable features; well suited to New Zealand plantings.

Long-leaved Inaka

Long-Leaved Inaka

Dracophyllum longifolium

Striking, grass-like leaves and upright habit; prefers cool, well-drained sites.

Curved-Leaved Grass Tree (Dracophyllum recurvum)

Curved-Leaved Grass Tree

Dracophyllum recurvum

Low-growing alpine shrub with distinctive recurved leaves and white flowers, endemic to the North Island volcanic plateau.

Sinclair's Grass Tree (Dracophyllum sinclairii)

Sinclair's Grass Tree

Dracophyllum sinclairii

Slender northern small tree with grass-like foliage and clusters of white flowers, characteristic of northern gumlands and coastal cliffs.

Townson's Inaka

Townson's Inaka

Dracophyllum townsonii

Sturdy Inaka with narrow leaves and white flower spikes; excellent for exposed coastal sites and dry gardens.

Three-Form Inaka

Three-Form Inaka

Dracophyllum trimorphum

Distinctive three-form dragon tree with variable leaves; adaptable to different growing conditions and sites.

Dwarf Cherry

Dwarf Cherry

Exocarpos bidwillii

Unique semi-parasitic native shrub with architectural leafless twigs and small red fruits.

Hangehange

Hangehange

Geniostoma ligustrifolium

Fast-growing native shrub with glossy lime-green leaves and tiny but highly fragrant greenish-white flowers.

Barrier Island Kānuka

Barrier Island Kānuka

Kunzea sinclairii

Barrier Island Kānuka is a native New Zealand plant with notable features; well suited to New Zealand plantings.

Prickly Heath

Prickly Heath

Leptecophylla juniperina

Prickly, juniper-like foliage with small berries; good for coastal and dry sites.

Leptospermum scoparium

Mānuka

Leptospermum scoparium

Leptospermum scoparium is a native New Zealand plant with notable features; well suited to New Zealand plantings.

Fascicled Heath

Fascicled Heath

Leucopogon fasciculatus

Tall, open-branched native shrub with fragrant white bell-shaped flowers and attractive red to white fruits.

Parviflorus Leucopogon

Coast Beard-Heath

Leucopogon parviflorus

Coast Beard-Heath ( Leucopogon parviflorus ) is a hardy coastal shrub with delicate white flowers and edible berries.

Wharangi

Wharangi

Melicope ternata

Glossy trifoliate leaves with citrus scent; great coastal hedge or shelter shrub.

Porcupine Shrub

Porcupine Shrub

Melicytus alpinus

Toughest of native shrubs with stiff, porcupine-like branchlets and white berries; ideal for lizard habitat.

Thick-leaved Māhoe

Thick-Leaved Māhoe

Melicytus crassifolius

Rigid and structural native shrub with leathery leaves and distinctive white berries; extremely hardy in coastal sites.

Narrow-leaved Māhoe

Narrow-Leaved Māhoe

Melicytus lanceolatus

Narrow-leaved māhoe for shade and shelter; reliable understory shrub.

Coastal Māhoe

Coastal Māhoe

Melicytus novae-zelandiae

Hardy and structural coastal shrub with lush leathery leaves and attractive berries; excellent for salt-exposed sites.

Whiteywood

Whiteywood

Melicytus ramiflorus

Fast-growing whiteywood; excellent for wildlife food and quick shelter.

Leafless Pōhuehue (Muehlenbeckia ephedroides)

Leafless Pōhuehue

Muehlenbeckia ephedroides

A unique sprawling, grey-toned native shrub that often appears leafless, forming dense mats in rugged coastal and riverbed environments.

Red Mātipo

Red Mātipo

Myrsine australis

Shiny leaves with reddish new growth; tough hedging and shelter species.

Dryland Tree Daisy (Olearia adenocarpa)

Dryland Tree Daisy

Olearia adenocarpa

Critically endangered Canterbury shrub with grey-green leaves, specialized for the dry, stony terraces of braided rivers.

White-Leaved Tree Daisy (Olearia albida)

White-Leaved Tree Daisy

Olearia albida

Small-leaved tree daisy with pale foliage; hardy in sunny, dry positions.

Common Tree Daisy (Olearia arborescens)

Common Tree Daisy

Olearia arborescens

Bushy, cold-hardy tree daisy; tolerates wind and poor soils.

Mountain Akeake

Mountain Akeake

Olearia avicenniifolia

Silvery mountain akeake with rugged form; thrives in alpine and coastal exposure.

Twiggy Tree Daisy

Bullate Tree Daisy

Olearia bullata

Distinctive divaricating shrub with small rounded leaves and dense branching pattern, thrives in wetland margins and forest edges.

Tūpare (Olearia colensoi)

Tūpare

Olearia colensoi

Known as 'leatherwood' for its incredibly tough, serrated leaves, this hardy subalpine shrub forms nearly impenetrable thickets providing shelter in harsh mountain areas.

Hakeke

Hakeke

Olearia ilicifolia

Holly-like toothed leaves add texture; prefers cool, moist conditions.

Akiraho

Akiraho

Olearia paniculata

Lime-green foliage and scented flowers; an excellent evergreen hedge.

Twiggy Tree Daisy (Olearia virgata)

Twiggy Tree Daisy

Olearia virgata

Versatile and fast-growing shrub with wiry interlacing branches and small green leaves, producing fragrant white flowers.

Scarlet Mistletoe

Scarlet Mistletoe

Peraxilla colensoi

Nationally endangered parasitic shrub with explosive scarlet flowers; featured on New Zealand's former $2 note.

Red Mistletoe

Red Mistletoe

Peraxilla tetrapetala

Spectacular crimson‑flowered mistletoe of forest canopies; relies on birds for pollination and seed dispersal.

Strathmore Weed

Strathmore Weed

Pimelea prostrata

Low, mat-forming shrub with white blooms; ideal groundcover for sunny, dry sites.

NZ Daphne

NZ Daphne

Pimelea tomentosa

Rare and beautiful native shrub with soft grey-green leaves and clusters of white hairy flowers.

Kawakawa (Piper excelsum)

Kawakawa

Piper excelsum

A distinctive native shrub with heart-shaped leaves and jointed stems, renowned for its significant medicinal properties in traditional Māori rongoā.

Divaricating Kōhūhū

Divaricating Kōhūhū

Pittosporum divaricatum

Distinctive architectural shrub with interlacing branches and dark red flowers, well-adapted to forest margins.