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Marlborough Rock Daisy (Pachystegia insignis)

Last Modified: 11-11-2020 13:55

Marlborough Rock Daisy (Pachystegia insignis)
Marlborough Rock Daisy (Pachystegia insignis)
© Christopher Cookson  License this image

The iconic Marlborough Rock daisy is common throughout eastern parts of  the Marlborough Land District. It is most plentiful along the Kaikōura coast where it can be seen growing off many of the bluffs. It can also be found in the Taylor Pass and Awatere Valley. Pachystegia have large dark green glossy leaves clothed in a thick tormentum underneath. In most varieties this is white but on a recently discovered form, Pachystegia rufra it is reddish brown.Rock daisy will grow to a shrub 1m high but usually in its natural state only grows to 50 cm. In summer the plant becomes covered in large white flowers with yellow florets in the centre.

Although a popular garden plant Pachystegia insignis is often suseptable to root disease so must be grown in full sun in sharply drained soil. It can withstand substantial drought but does better with adequate water. Plants will grow in limey soil and are salt and frost resistant but resent high nitrogen content fertiliser.

This example is a cultivated specimen planted at the entrance to the Wither Hills Farm Park (where P. insignis is not found naturally).

Image Date: 3/12/2012

Photographer: Christopher Cookson

Location: Latitude: -41.543079 Longitude: 173.962906

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