Pimelea arenaria
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −6.7 °C
Cultivation
Prefers a lime-free peaty well-drained loam. This species is not very hardy in Britain, the plants usually require greenhouse protection but could succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country. A very ornamental plant. Flowers are produced on the tips of the previous seasons growth. Plants may suffer from sudden die back. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Propagation
Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn if this is possible, otherwise in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame. Softwood cuttings 5cm long in late spring.
Edible uses
Fruit. No more details are given.
Material uses
A fibre obtained from the stems is used as a tying material.
Habitat
Coastal dunes and hollows all over North, South and Chatham Islands.
Native range
New Zealand.