Cassinia amoena

Botanical name: Cassinia amoena
Synonyms: None known
Common name(s): None widely used

About:
Cassinia amoena is a highly localised and naturally rare New Zealand shrub confined to the coastal cliffs of the far northern North Island. It forms a compact, bushy shrub covered in silvery-grey tomentum, with narrow leathery leaves and clusters of small white flowers. It is one of New Zealand’s most geographically restricted shrubs.

Natural habitat:
Exposed coastal cliffs and rocky headlands.

Growing environment:
Requires full sun, excellent drainage and exposure to coastal conditions. Naturally adapted to wind, salt spray and drought-prone sites.

Endemic distribution:
Endemic to New Zealand. Restricted to the Surville Cliffs area near North Cape, Northland.

Height:
Up to 1 m

Width:
1–1.5 m

Flowering:
August – December

Fruiting:
September – January

Uses:

• Coastal restoration plantings
• Native shrub collections
• Conservation plantings
• Dry coastal gardens
• Habitat for native insects

Appearance:

Growth habit:
A compact, rounded, densely branched shrub with a silvery-grey appearance.

Branches:
Stout branchlets densely covered in grey-white tomentum, giving the plant a soft, felted appearance.

Leaves:
Small, narrow linear-obovate to narrowly spoon-shaped leaves, 6–18 mm long. Upper surfaces become dark green and smooth with age, while the undersides remain densely covered in white woolly hairs. Margins are slightly rolled under.

Flowers:
Numerous small white flower heads clustered into dense rounded corymbs at the ends of branches. The flower clusters can almost obscure the foliage when plants are in full bloom.

Fruit:
Tiny hairy achenes about 1 mm long, each topped with a tuft of fine hairs that aid dispersal by wind.

Ecology:
Adapted to harsh coastal environments with strong winds, salt spray and limited soil. The woolly undersides of the leaves help reduce water loss and protect against exposure.

Associated habitats:
Coastal cliff communities, rocky headlands and exposed maritime shrublands of the far north.

How to grow:
Plant in full sun in a very free-draining soil. Best suited to coastal gardens where air movement is good. Avoid heavy soils and sites prone to waterlogging. Once established it is drought tolerant and requires little maintenance.

Propagation:
Usually propagated from fresh seed. Semi-hardwood cuttings may also be successful, though seed propagation is more commonly used for conservation purposes.

Cultural use:
Primarily valued as a rare component of New Zealand’s unique northern coastal flora and as a species of conservation significance.

Garden value:
An attractive compact shrub with silvery foliage and masses of white flowers. Its rarity, neat habit and tolerance of exposed coastal conditions make it an excellent choice for specialised native plant collections and coastal gardens.