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.
typical habitat.
coastal scrub
subalpine scrub
scrubland
drainage.
dry
free draining
well drained
moist
sun.
full sun
mature specifications.
height | 80cm
width | 1.2m
pollinators calendar.
flowering | November - January
fruiting | February - April
did you know?
Māhoe porcupine shrub provides vital habitat for many of New Zealand's endemic lizards, including both skinks and geckos. This relationship is mutually beneficial: the lizards find protection from weather and predators within the shrub's spiky branches, and in return, they consume the shrub's berries, effectively dispersing its seeds.