Native Shrubs of New Zealand

Versatile and attractive plants for gardens and natural landscapes

About New Zealand Native Shrubs

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.

About New Zealand Native Shrubs

New Zealand's native shrubs offer enormous variety for gardeners and landscapers. These adaptable plants range from the honey-producing mānuka to the colorful and diverse hebes. Many native shrubs feature attractive foliage, flowers, and berries while providing important habitat for native birds and insects.

Explore Our Native Shrubs

Mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium)

Mānuka

Leptospermum scoparium

A versatile shrub known for its medicinal honey and beautiful white flowers.

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Koromiko (Hebe salicifolia)

Koromiko

Hebe salicifolia

An adaptable shrub with white flower spikes and traditional medicinal uses.

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Kōwhai (Sophora microphylla)

Kōwhai

Sophora microphylla

New Zealand's unofficial national flower with brilliant yellow blooms in spring.

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Kapuka (Griselinia littoralis)

Kapuka

Griselinia littoralis

A hardy shrub with glossy apple-green leaves, perfect for hedging and coastal gardens.

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Kōhūhū (Pittosporum tenuifolium)

Kōhūhū

Pittosporum tenuifolium

An elegant shrub with wavy-edged leaves and small fragrant flowers, excellent for hedging.

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Akeake (Dodonaea viscosa)

Akeake

Dodonaea viscosa

A tough, fast-growing shrub with unique seed capsules and striking purplish foliage forms.

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Akiraho (Olearia paniculata)

Akiraho

Olearia paniculata

A coastal tree daisy with attractive wavy-edged leaves and sweet-scented white flowers.

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Horopito (Pseudowintera colorata)

Horopito

Pseudowintera colorata

The native pepper tree with spicy leaves and striking red-spotted foliage in winter.

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Sand Coprosma (Coprosma acerosa)

Sand Coprosma

Coprosma acerosa

Low-growing coastal shrub with distinctive wire-like branches and translucent blue berries. Important for dune stabilization and coastal restoration.

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Coprosma lucida

Shiny karamu (Coprosma lucida)

Shiny karamu is a glossy-leaved shrub with orange fruit, found in lowland forests and forest margins throughout New Zealand.

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Coprosma rhamnoides

Coprosma rhamnoides

Coprosma rhamnoides is a small-leaved shrub found in a variety of habitats, valued for its resilience and bird-attracting berries.

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Coprosma repens

Taupata (Coprosma repens)

Taupata is a hardy coastal shrub with thick, glossy leaves and orange berries, ideal for windbreaks and coastal gardens.

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Kauri

Agathis australis

A majestic conifer, renowned for its massive trunk and longevity, once dominating northern New Zealand forests.

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Tītoki (Alectryon excelsus)

A small native tree with glossy leaves and black seeds surrounded by bright red flesh, often used in landscaping.

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Aristotelia serrata

Aristotelia serrata (Wineberry)

Wineberry is a fast-growing shrub or small tree with edible red berries, attractive to birds and found in regenerating forests.

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Toetoe

Austroderia toetoe

Toetoe is a tall, graceful grass with feathery flower plumes, often used for shelter and weaving.

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Taraire

Beilschmiedia tarairi

Taraire is a broadleaf tree with large, dark green leaves and purple fruit, important for native birds.

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Tawa

Beilschmiedia tawa

Tawa is a tall forest tree with smooth bark and long, narrow leaves, producing edible purple fruit.

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Kahikatea

Dacrycarpus dacrydioides

Kahikatea is New Zealand's tallest native tree, found in wetlands and valued for its white berries and timber.

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Rimu

Dacrydium cupressinum

Rimu is a graceful conifer with drooping branchlets and reddish wood, a keystone species in native forests.

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Wheki-ponga

Dicksonia fibrosa

Wheki-ponga is a tree fern with thick, fibrous trunks and large, arching fronds, common in damp forests.

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Wheki

Dicksonia squarrosa

Wheki is a hardy tree fern with slender trunks and rough, shaggy bases, thriving in a range of habitats.

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Didymocheton

Didymocheton spectabilis is a rare or little-known New Zealand shrub or small tree, valued for its unique foliage and form in native plantings.

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Rewarewa

Knightia excelsa

Rewarewa is a tall tree with narrow leaves and striking red bottlebrush flowers, attracting nectar-feeding birds.

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Kanuka

Kunzea ericoides

Kanuka is a fast-growing shrub or small tree with fine foliage and masses of tiny white flowers in summer.

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Prince of Wales feathers

Leptopteris superba

Prince of Wales feathers is a delicate fern with finely divided, feathery fronds, found in moist forests.

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Pohutukawa

Metrosideros excelsa

Pohutukawa is the iconic coastal tree with brilliant red flowers, known as the New Zealand Christmas tree.

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Rata

Metrosideros robusta

Rata is a climbing or tree-forming species with vibrant red flowers, important for forest ecosystems.

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Chionochloa flavicans

Miniature toetoe

Miniature toetoe is a compact grass with soft, golden flower heads, ideal for small gardens and borders.

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Mountain snowberry (Gaultheria depressa)

Mountain snowberry (Gaultheria depressa)

Mountain snowberry is a low shrub with small white berries and leathery leaves, found in alpine and subalpine areas.

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Ourisia macrophylla

Native foxglove

Native foxglove is a perennial herb with large, white to pink tubular flowers, thriving in moist, shady sites.

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Gunnera hamiltonii

Gunnera hamiltonii

Gunnera hamiltonii is a prostrate, mat-forming perennial native to New Zealand, with small, rounded leaves and creeping rhizomes. It thrives in damp, open habitats and is valued for erosion control and as a ground cover in gardens.

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