Botanical name:

Acaena novae-zelandiae

Common name(s):

Piripiri, Red Bidibidi

About:

A small, spreading ground cover with dense green foliage, commonly found throughout New Zealand. It produces clustered purple-red flower heads at the tips of thin green stems. As they ripen, these form tiny hooked seed pods that easily attach to clothing and animals, giving rise to their well-known name—bidi-bids.

Natural habitat:

Abundant from lowland to lower subalpine forest margins and in shrub-lands.

Growing environment:

Frost, Salt & Wind tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

Found throughout the North, South, Stewart, and Chatham Islands. Naturalised on the Auckland and Campbell Islands.

Height: 0.1m

Flowering:        with a red or pink coloured flower.

Fruiting: Unknown

Uses:

Pioneer & Container Plantings

How to grow:

Very easy from rooted pieces or fresh seed.

** Seed germinates without pre treatment. 4 weeks cold stratification will help speed this up though