Rocky coastal zone

Wairarapa coast (excluding Riversdale), Ngawi, and Lake Ferry to north of Eastbourne. Makara, Pukerua Bay and coastal escarpment to Paekakariki. In Wellington - Thorndon, Mount Victoria, Hataitai, Berhampore, Miramar Peninsula Bays, Seatoun, and Southern Wellington Bays (not Lyall Bay -see Duneland).

Environmental Factors: Strong, salt-laden winds can cause physical damage to plants. Shelter is important for good plant growth as strong winds also cause drying out. Generally frost-free.

Past Landscape: A wind and salt-resistant shrubland dominated bluffs and steep escarpments. I n gullies and more sheltered parts originally there was a mixed forest of trees adapted to the stresses of excessive drainage and salt.

Plants we recommend:

Trees

Big (b) = >15m Medium (m) 10-15m Small (s) = <10m

Akeake (s) (green, not purple form), akiraho (S) broadleaf (m) ( Griselinia littoralis & Griselinia lucida), cabbage tree (m), kohekohe (b), karaka (b), ngaio (m), marble-leaf (s), taupata (s), tree hebe (s), wharangi (s) kowhai (m). Note: a number of species of kowhai are recommended for the Wellington region: Sophora chathamica on the Miramar Peninsula, Sophora molloyi on the south coast and Sophora microphylla throughout the rest of the region.

Shrubs

Local Wairarapa endemics: Brachyglottis pentacopa, Brachyglottis compacta. Wellington endemics: Hebe elliptica var. crassifolia, Melicytus obovatus,. Appropriate for both Wairarapa and Wellington: Coprosma crassifolia, Coprosma propinqua, Coprosma rhamnoides wild Irishman, niniao, coastal tree daisy, koromiko, sand coprosma, sand daphne, shrubby tororaro, thick-leaved mahoe. For Wairarapa add corokia to this list.

Climbers (c) and scramblers (s)

NZ ice-plant (s) small white clematis (c), leafless lawyer (s), pohuehue (s), shore convolvulus (s), NZ spinach (s), Fuchsia perscandens (s/c), leafless clematis (s/c).

Ferns (f). Grasses (g), Sedges (s) & Rushes (r)

Necklace fern, sweet brake (f), shining spleenwort (f), hound's tongue (f), jointed wire rush (r), spring-flowering toetoe (g), silver tussock (g), Ficinia nodosa (s)

Other plants

Coastal flax, creeping pratia, renga lily, sand bidibid, speargrass, sea spurge, shore groundsel, Linum monogynum.

Look for these symbols in the main list for more plants to plant in this zone: To, Os, Co, Ab, Af.

Did you know?

Shrubby tororaro, ( Muehlenbeckia astonii), is a nationally endangered species. It is at its northern limit in the Wellington region. Only about 50 individual plants survive in the wild in the North Island. Plant it for a superb hedge.