Muehlenbeckia complexa
(Scrambling Pohuehue)

Muehlenbeckia complexa
(Scrambling Pohuehue)

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Details:

Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Rate: Fast
Mature Height: 1 m
Mature Width: 2 m
Site Condition: Coastal, Exposed, Frost Tolerant, Heavy Soil, Loamy Soil, Sandy Soil, Salty, Windy
Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Drainage: Dry, Moist
Category: Climber
Features: Native. Suitable for ground cover. Attractive to birds, insects, lizards and bees. Flower colour: White. Fruit colour: White. Suitable restoration species.

Muehlenbeckia complexa, commonly called scrambling or small-leaved Pohuehue, is quite vigorous and probably the best species for trimming and topiary. It is semi-deciduous, losing most, or all of its leaves over winter. Grows to 4m or more up suitable supports, and produces swollen white berries with black seeds. Leaves turn bronzy before dropping in late fall/early winter. Any reasonably well drained soil will suit this agreeable groundcover, and it'll tolerate drought, salt spray, and wind. Often found growing in the company of Plagianthus divaricatus.

M. complexa can form dense springy mounds, useful for suppressing weeds. In its native environment, it plays a key role in sealing human and natural disturbances on the forest edge. It also suppresses the growth of introduced weeds, such as blackberry, and promotes increased insect diversity. A wide variety of insect species are associated with M. complexa. It is an important host plant for several endemic species of copper butterflies including the coastal copper (Lycaena salustius). It is also a food source for lizards and birds such as tui, bellbird and kererū, which also feed on the buds and leaves.

Habitat: Found along rocky coasts as well as inland in coastal and montane forests.

Flowering: Spring - Autumn [October - June]
Fruiting:    Winter [July - September]

Tags: ErosionControl, PoorSoils, Rongoa

Prices

  Each 20 or more
2l Pot $8.50 $8.00

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