Botanical name:

Melicytus alpinus

Common name(s):

Porcupine Shurb

About:

Is an almost leafless, sprawling, and very hardy shrub that truly does resemble a porcupine in both its appearance and resilience. Its short, stiff, interlaced leafless branchlets are quite distinctive, even featuring sharp spiked tips that contribute to its unique look. This remarkable shrub is well-suited for rocky soils in full sun exposure, though it demonstrates a good ability to grow in a variety of well-drained soil types as well, making it a versatile choice for different landscaping needs.

Natural habitat:

Coastal to subalpine. Found in coastal areas with saline, dry soils, with very little structure righ up to alpine areas of the South Island’s high country.

Growing environment:

Frost, Sun, Drought, Wind, Coastal & Free draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s southern North Island and throughout the South Island

Height: 80cm

Flowering: 

October – January with a cream coloured flower/s

Fruiting:

November – March

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bees food, Riparian plantings & Drought prone areas.

How to grow:

Easily propagated from seed or cuttings. To propagate from seed, collect the seeds when they are ripe and sow them in a sterile, moist medium. To propagate from cuttings, take semi-hardwood cuttings in late spring or early summer and root them in a moist, well-draining soil.

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