māhoe porcupine shrub

Melicytus alpinus | māhoe porcupine shrub

This unique species, often called the porcupine shrub, is a dense, flattened, and exceptionally hardy shrub truly resembling its namesake. Its short, stiff, interlaced branchlets are virtually leafless, ending in spiky tips. This adaptation protects its small leathery leaves, which are mostly sheltered within the stems to endure harsh coastal or alpine environments. Thriving in open, dry positions, it prefers rocky, sunny, well-drained soils but will tolerate any well-drained site. This evergreen, slow-growing plant in spring and early summer, small white flowers emerge, later developing into tasty, fragrant white, blue-speckled fruit, a favorite food for many native lizards.