Marlborough daisy seed heads

These New Zealand native daisies grow well in our garden, because we have lots of rocky areas. The Marlborough daisy (Pachystegia insignis) occurs naturally on cliff faces in Marlborough, in dry, unstable habitat. They produce long tap roots that penetrate deeply into cracks in rock to collect moisture and nutrients from a long way below the surface.

In the garden they grow more lushly, and look much healthier than most wild specimens. They produce lots of attractive white-petalled, yellow centred daisies in summer, and seed prolifically. We have lots of seedings coming up in the garden, often in rock cracks and crevices. I find the seed heads as attractive as the flowers.