Botanical name:

Selliera radicans

Common name(s):

Selliera, remuremu, half-star, bonking grass

About:

Selliera radicans is a small, hardy perennial succulent known for its distinctive creeping habit. These resilient herbaceous plants can grow to a height of approximately 20cm and can expand to cover patches of width reaching up to 2m, making them an excellent choice for ground cover in various garden settings. The glossy, fleshy leaves are narrow and spoon-shaped, measuring up to 4cm in length, which contribute to the plant's appealing aesthetic. In the summer months, it produces small, one-sided, and pleasantly scented white flowers that add a delicate touch to its overall appearance.

Natural habitat:

Coastal to alpine up to 1000m. In permanently to seasonally damp, open sites and depressions such as in sand swales, on cliff tops and on talus slopes below these, in coastal turf, in the marginal turf of lake and ponds, in salt pans. Mostly coastal but also recorded from well inland in the South Island and parts of the Central North Island, such as along the shores of Lake Taupo.

Growing environment:

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

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s Three Kings, North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands.

Height: 20cm

Flowering: 

August - April with a blue or white coloured flower/s

Fruiting:

October - June

Uses:

Bee food & Lawn replacement.

How to grow:

Easily grown from fresh seed and by the division of established plants. Does best in a permanently damp site in full sun. Not particularly fussy about soil fertility. Selliera makes an excellent “no-mow” lawn.

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