:pacifica garden
Grow a garden ripe
with fragrant gems
of the Pacific
COCONUT PALM
These reminders of our relaxing holidays
abroad are fast-growing trees which should
only be planted in areas with lots of space
rather than small urban gardens where they
will outgrow their welcome. They tend to
fare better in the northern gardens of New
Zealand rather than in the south.
BEACH MORNING GLORY
(POUWHIWHI)
PACIFICA
Garden
It is common throughout the Pacific,
eastern Australia and western Central
America. It is relatively rare in New Zealand
and tends to grow in remote northern coastal
places such as�� the Three Kings Islands and
the Kermadecs, but is found from Te Paki
south to Tiritirimatangi in the Hauraki Gulf.
It is inclined to be weedy and voracious as
it is fast-growing and can sprout easily from
stems, even cut ones. It can perform a useful
function in smothering out other weeds in
bare and��disturbed land.
BEACH HELIOTROPE
This plant is commonly displayed in
containers, window boxes, rockeries or as a
border plant.
An annual flowerer, it produces clusters
of 6mm fragrant flowers, ranging from deepblue, violet and lavender to white, with
cherry pie or vanilla fragrance, from late
spring to autumn. It thrives in moist, welldrained soil, anywhere from full sun to light
shade. Highly fragrant, it is also poisonous.
Propagated from seed or cuttings, Heliotrope
`Cherry Pie��� can be grown in containers,
window boxes, rockeries, as a border plant or
as an under planting in sunnier spots.
PANDANUS - SCREWPINE
The Pandanus is part of the Pandanaceae
family, known for their strap-leafed plants
and spiral growth habits; because of these
characteristics they are commonly called
���screwpines���. The Pandanus is free standing
and tree-like and mainly used for thatch,
making ropes and other craft products.
In Southeast Asia the leaves are used as
flavouring and the fruits of others are eaten
in native regions.
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