White Snow Marguerite

Botanical name: Dolichoglottis scorzoneroides

Synonym’s:

Common name: White Snow Marguerite

About:
White Snow Marguerite is a magnificent alpine daisy endemic to New Zealand’s South Island. It forms bold clumps of long, leathery foliage and produces large white daisy flowers with bright yellow centres during summer. Closely related to the Yellow Snow Marguerite (Dolichoglottis lyallii), it is distinguished by its striking white ray florets and preference for cool alpine habitats.

Natural habitat:
Found in alpine and subalpine herbfields, rocky slopes, stable scree, mountain grasslands, moist gullies and alpine stream margins throughout the South Island high country.

Growing environment:
Requires full sun to light shade in cool climates with excellent drainage. It thrives in gritty, stony soils with moderate moisture and is highly tolerant of frost, snow and alpine conditions but struggles in hot, humid climates.

Endemic distribution:
Endemic to New Zealand. Naturally restricted to alpine regions of the South Island.

Height:
30–50 cm when flowering

Width:
30–50 cm

Flowering:
December–February

Fruiting:
January–March

Uses:
• Alpine and scree gardens
• Rock gardens
• Native alpine collections
• Botanical gardens
• Conservation plantings
• Pollinator habitat

Appearance:
Growth habit:
A robust, rhizomatous perennial herb arising from a stout underground stock clothed with the remains of old leaf bases. Flowering stems are sturdy, upright and usually unbranched below the flower clusters.

Leaves:
Large basal leaves form a dense rosette and may reach up to 20 cm long. They are narrow to broadly lance-shaped, leathery and slightly fleshy with entire or lightly toothed margins. The leaves are softly hairy and often glandular, while the smaller stem leaves clasp the flowering stems.

Flowers:
Large daisy-like flower heads 4–6 cm across are produced in broad clusters above the foliage. Each flower has long, pure white ray florets surrounding a bright yellow central disc, creating a striking contrast against the alpine landscape.

Fruit:
Slender ribbed cypselae topped with a tuft of stiff, dirty-white pappus hairs that carry the seeds on alpine winds.

Ecology:
White Snow Marguerite is an important flowering herb of New Zealand’s alpine ecosystems, providing nectar and pollen for native alpine insects during the brief growing season. The lightweight, pappus-bearing seeds are dispersed by wind, allowing the species to colonise suitable mountain habitats.

Associated habitats:
Alpine herbfields, tussock grasslands, stable scree, rocky terraces, fellfields, mountain stream margins and snowbank communities.

How to grow:
Grow in a cool, sunny position with sharply drained soil containing plenty of coarse grit or fine gravel. Maintain even moisture during the growing season while ensuring excellent drainage throughout the year. It performs best in alpine gardens or cool southern climates where summer temperatures remain moderate.

Propagation:
Propagation is difficult and generally undertaken only by specialist alpine growers. Fresh seed should be sown soon after ripening, and mature plants may occasionally be divided with care. Wild plants should never be removed from their natural habitat.

Cultural use:
Although there are no widely recorded traditional Māori uses, White Snow Marguerite is an iconic member of New Zealand’s alpine flora and contributes significantly to the botanical diversity of the South Island mountains.

Garden value:
An outstanding alpine perennial prized for its bold foliage and spectacular white flowers. Best suited to alpine houses, rock gardens and specialist native collections where cool, well-drained conditions can be maintained. Its rarity in cultivation and striking floral display make it highly desirable for alpine plant enthusiasts.