tāranga

Pimelea longifolia | tāranga

 

An attractive, upright native shrub, reaching 1.5m tall and about 1m wide. Found in scrubland, open bush, and rocky areas, it features interesting, resilient, lance-shaped, leathery leaves on reddish twigs. From spring to summer, it produces beautiful, fragrant, round heads of white to pale pink, hairy flowers, followed by fruits. While adaptable to sun or partial shade and dry conditions, tāranga thrives best with some shelter and gritty soil due to its temperamental nature.

coastal scrub

coastal forest

lowland forest

montane forest

forest margins

scrubland

moist

well drained

free draining

dry

full sun

partial shade

height | 1.5m

width | 1m

flowering |  September - April

fruiting |  November - June

This stunning rare native flowering plant is an 'at risk' species but persists in select New Zealand locations. A member of the Pimelea genus (daphne family), it features gorgeous, fragrant flowers. Historically found in coastal and lowland montane habitats, its populations are severely threatened by human activity and browsing by introduced animals.