Vegetable Sheep

Botanical name: Haastia pulvinaris
Synonyms: None
Common name(s): Vegetable sheep

About:
One of New Zealand’s most extraordinary alpine plants, Haastia pulvinaris forms enormous, extremely compact, woolly cushions that can resemble resting sheep when viewed from a distance. Individual plants may eventually develop into rounded masses up to 2 m across. The tightly packed branches and dense covering of long hairs create a remarkably effective protective layer, allowing the plant to survive intense sunlight, severe frost, strong winds and the unstable rocky conditions of high-alpine scree.

Natural habitat:
Occurs in subalpine and alpine fellfields, rocky slopes and scree systems, particularly amongst exposed rock and unstable stone. It occupies extremely harsh environments where plants experience severe frost, strong winds, intense ultraviolet radiation, rapid temperature changes and limited available moisture.

Growing environment:
Frost, Sun, Wind, Cold & Extremely Free Draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:
Endemic to New Zealand and restricted to the eastern South Island, occurring from Marlborough south into Canterbury, east of the main divide.

Height:
Usually approximately 20–60 cm high, forming massive rounded cushions rather than upright growth.

Width:
Up to approximately 2 m across, with exceptional old plants forming masses around 2 × 1 m or more.

Flowering:
November – January
Produces small, relatively inconspicuous flower heads embedded amongst the densely woolly foliage.

Fruiting:
December – February
Produces small, narrow, compressed achenes approximately 2 mm long. These carry pappus hairs up to about 9 mm long which assist wind dispersal.

Uses:
• Alpine biodiversity conservation
• Scientific and botanical interest
• Specialist alpine collections
• Alpine ecosystem restoration
• Educational display
• Iconic New Zealand native flora

Appearance:
Growth habit:
A stout, extremely slow-growing perennial forming dense, rounded cushion-like masses. Numerous short branchlets are packed tightly together until the individual branches become almost impossible to distinguish from the outside. Mature specimens may resemble large grey-white boulders or, famously, sheep resting amongst the scree.

Leaves:
Leaves are small, approximately 8–10 mm long and 6–10 mm wide, but are largely concealed beneath dense masses of long, tangled hairs. The leaf tips are thickened and finely crenulate. Both surfaces, or sometimes primarily the undersides, are clothed in long hairs.

The overlapping leaves and hairs create the characteristic thick, felted surface of the plant.

Flowers:
Flower heads are small and embedded within the surface of the cushion. The receptacle is approximately 5 mm across and flat to slightly convex. The involucral bracts are narrow and linear, with obtuse to acute tips.

Fruit:
The fruits are narrow, flattened achenes approximately 2 mm long. Each is equipped with elongated pappus hairs, providing a lightweight structure that enables the mature fruits to be carried away by alpine winds.

Ecology:
Haastia pulvinaris is an exceptional example of adaptation to New Zealand’s alpine environment. Its cushion growth form creates a protected internal microclimate very different from the exposed conditions immediately surrounding it.

The densely interwoven foliage and hairs reduce wind exposure, trap insulating air and organic material, limit moisture loss and protect living tissues against frost and intense alpine sunlight. The compact form also allows the plant to withstand abrasive wind-blown particles and movement of surrounding scree.

As cushions become established, their dense structure can trap dust, fine mineral particles and organic material. This gradually creates small pockets of relatively sheltered habitat within an otherwise extremely hostile landscape.

The species may grow alongside specialised alpine plants including native scree herbs, grasses and other cushion plants. Raoulia species, particularly Raoulia bryoides, R. eximia and R. mammillaris, can occur in similar habitats and may superficially resemble Haastia.

Despite this resemblance, Haastia is botanically distinct. Molecular evidence indicates that the genus is closely related to Brachyglottis.

Associated habitats:
Alpine scree, fellfield, exposed rocky slopes, boulder fields, high-alpine rocklands and sparsely vegetated mountain terrain.

How to grow:
Extremely difficult in cultivation and generally unsuitable for ordinary garden conditions.

Successful cultivation requires conditions resembling its natural alpine habitat: exceptionally sharp drainage, high light levels, cool temperatures, excellent air movement and very low atmospheric humidity. Winter wetness combined with relatively warm temperatures can be particularly damaging.

Plants should never be removed from natural populations. Their exceptionally slow growth and specialised habitat requirements mean that disturbance or collection can destroy plants that may have taken many years to develop.

For most people, Haastia pulvinaris should be appreciated and protected in its natural alpine environment rather than treated as a conventional garden plant.

Propagation:
Propagation is difficult and should be undertaken only from legitimately obtained cultivated material or responsibly sourced seed. Seed is naturally dispersed by wind through the pappus-bearing fruits.

Seed should be treated as an alpine species and provided with cool, highly aerated and exceptionally free-draining conditions. Establishment and subsequent growth are likely to be slow.

Removal of whole plants or pieces from wild populations is strongly discouraged.

Cultural use:
No specific traditional Māori practical use is well documented for Haastia pulvinaris. Its unusual appearance, however, has made vegetable sheep among the most recognisable and celebrated plants of New Zealand’s alpine flora.

The English name “vegetable sheep” comes from the remarkable resemblance of mature pale, woolly cushions to sheep resting on distant mountain slopes.

Garden value:
An extraordinary botanical specimen but not a practical general garden plant. Its dense silver-grey woolly cushions and unusual growth form would make it highly desirable to alpine-plant enthusiasts, but its very specialised requirements make long-term cultivation challenging.

Its greatest value is as an iconic component of New Zealand’s natural alpine landscapes, where enormous old cushions demonstrate some of the most extreme adaptations found amongst the country’s native flowering plants.