Chapters

Caring for Pachystegia insignis
Plants

Pachystegia - Growing Guide

Caring for Pachystegia insignis

Marlborough Rock Daisy

Pachystegia are dwarf evergreen shrubs originating from New Zealand which were previously considered to be included in the genus Olearia. I first saw this plant flowering on top of a low stone faced earthbank at the entrance of Tregrehan Garden near St Austell. It had a low spreading habit and outstanding large 2 ½ inch white flower heads with yellow centres.

The stout shoots were white or brown felted and the oval to obovate leaves were dark green with white felted undersides. The leaves were clustered at the tip of the shoots and the long stalked solitary daisy-like flowers appeared on stiff stems from late mid summer and on into autumn.

When we first propagated and grew this plant rom cuttings we made a number of rather amateur mistakes. We grew the plants in too damp and moist an environment where they damped off or rotted over winter.

In its natural habitat this plant grows on cliffs, mountains and rocky places in full wind exposure. It likes to be kept hot and dry and is very suited to coastal conditions. Tregrehan were growing this plant in ideal rockery style conditions where the roots were never waterlogged and full sun ensures that the plants never experience prolonged damp conditions.

Cuttings root fairly easily when taken in early summer but must be kept dry over winter and protected from severe frosts.

This is a plant which demands the correct (maritime) conditions to grow properly and is most likely to fail from waterlogging rather than the frost.