Muehlenbeckia astonii
Shrubby Tororaro / Wirebrush
ABOUT:
Neither Māori nor English names are commonly used for this shrub – the botanical name has taken common place.
Muehlenbeckia astonii is relatively rare outside of cultivation.
IDENTIFY:
1.5m x 1m. Heart-shaped leaves scattered through orange-brown, zig-zagging twigs in a tangled small bush. Flowers are insignificant, while the white berries attract birds and lizards.
USE:
Provides a soft texture and ephemeral form where hard lines and sharp angles of paving/architecture are to be diffused. Can be trimmed to a low, loose informal hedge (where given a little structural support), or allowed to take its own form in wider screen-plantings. The coloured stems provide warmth in the winter planting.
PLANT:
Prefers drier soils. Just as content in sun or shade, and in shelter or exposure. Tolerates moderate frosts.
SIMILAR TO:
Creeping Pohuehue (Muehlenbeckia axillaris) – flat habit, not self-supporting. More leaves and darker stems.
Weeping Matipo (Myrsine divaricata) – columnar shrub, with stiff grey twigs curving sharply down.
ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE:
Muehlenbeckia are the only food source for the larvae of the native Common Copper butterfly. Its flowers are also an important nectar source for the adult butterfly.
MORE INFO:
Taranaki Educational Resource – Muehlenbeckia astonii
NZ Plant Conservation Network – Muehlenbeckia astonii
O2 Landscapes – Muehlenbeckia
Floralens 