Botanical name:

Pimelea villosa

Common name(s):

Sand daphne, autetaranga, toroheke, sand pimelea

About:

A prostrate shrub that forms a thick, sprawling mat of small, oblong leaves, which are pale and silky beneath. During the spring and summer seasons, attractive heads of small white flowers emerge, adding to its visual appeal. This hardy plant grows naturally on sand dunes, making it an excellent choice for ground cover in seaside areas where stabilisation of the soil is essential.

Natural habitat:

Confined to sand dunes and associated swales and flats - usually in free draining sites but sometimes bordering streams in places prone to sudden flooding. On Rekohu (Chatham Island) this species often extends outside these habitats onto the sandy peat soils that were once forest and are now mostly pasture, and in these places it sometimes extends into dune forest remnants. It can be very common in pasture there probaby because the soils are free draining and sandy and also because it is toxic and so cattle and sheep will not eat it. On the southern tablelands it is sometimes found within clears (on shallow peat soils) where it grows with other plants typical dune country such as Coprosma acerosa. Unusually for this species around Te Whanga it sometimes grows on limestone outcrops.

Growing environment:

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

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s North, South and Rekohu (Chatham Island). Abundant on Rekohu.

Height: 1m

Flowering: 

September - March with a cream to white coloured flower/s 

Fruiting:

October – April

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bee food, Riparian plantings & Ground cover.

How to grow:

Easy from semi-hardwood cuttings. Will germinate readily and swiftly when seed is fresh.

** Seed germinates without pre treatment. Sow seed direct & keep moist until germination is complete.