Botanical name:

Pterostylis brumalis

Common name(s):

Kauri greenhood, winter greenhood

About:

P. brumalis is a distinctive species of terrestrial, colony-forming orchids that is endemic to the unique ecosystems of New Zealand’s Kauri forests. These fascinating plants exhibit a rosette of leaves at the base of both flowering and non-flowering specimens, creating an attractive visual feature. The flowering plants display a beautiful white flower adorned with narrow green stripes. Notably, the dorsal sepal bends forward strongly, while the petals spread widely, contributing to a striking appearance reminiscent of a cobra poised to strike.

Natural habitat:

Coastal to lower montane. Virtually confined to forests dominated by kauri (Agathis australis) where it prefers shaded sites, and usually grows in kauri leaf litter and leaf mould, often directly beneath the trunks of this species. It may also grow in gum-land scrub but usually then only in association with rotting kauri stumps or sub-fossil kauri leaf and gum deposits.

Growing environment:

Shade & Wetland tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s North Island from Te Paki to Kawhia Harbour and the northern Kaimai Ranges. Most common north of Thames and Auckland City.

Height: 20cm

Flowering: 

June – October with a green to white coloured flower/s 

Fruiting:

July - November

Uses:

Forests

How to grow:

Difficult and should never be removed from the wild