Botanical name:

Sporodanthus traversii

Common name(s):

Chatham Island bamboo rush

About:

This is a rare and unique plant that can be found exclusively on the Chatham Islands, thriving in wet bogs. It forms an imposing and visually striking clump that can reach heights of up to 2m tall, showcasing erect, stout, rush-like stems paired with flowering panicles adorned with reddish-brown spikelets. This plant looks particularly attractive by water bodies, enhancing the beauty of its surroundings. It requires full sun to flourish and exhibits the ability to tolerate a range of moisture levels, although it is known to grow more slowly in drier sites.

Natural habitat:

Found mainly on wet peat domes, also occurring in peaty dune hollows and on lake margins.

Growing environment:

Frost, Sun, Wetland & Wind tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s Chatham Island only

Height: 2m

Flowering: 

October – February with a brown to yellow coloured flower/s

Fruiting:
February - March

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bee food, Hedging, Riparian plantings, Forests, Pioneer Plantings, Shelter belts, Timber, Flowers, Wetland’s, Container friendly

How to grow:

Difficult - should not be removed from the wild. Has been grown from division & by seed but difficult to maintain.

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