Arowhenua Native Nursery & Restoration

06/05/2026

Founded by Te Rūnaka o Arowhenua in 2021, our journey began with two Jobs for Nature projects aligned with DOC’s vision for the Rakitata Awa.

By 2026, that vision had grown beyond what we imagined. We planted over 200,000 native plants and established extensive trap lines along both sides of the river—installing 1,549 traps and removing 10,557 predators.

Together, these efforts have created safer habitats for native wildlife and strengthened biodiversity across the landscape. Our work has also supported the restoration of a dynamic braided river system—reconnecting streams and wetlands, and regenerating dryland and riparian forests.

As Jobs for Nature came to an end, we now step forward as a fully commercial entity, continuing this kaupapa with the same commitment to people, whenua, and biodiversity.

This has always been about more than numbers—it’s about restoring balance, protecting taonga species, and laying the foundation for future generations.

Jobs for Nature may be over, but we’re only just getting started… 😁

Ngā mihi nui to everyone who has supported this journey. 💚

17/03/2026

Our dispatch area - full of autumn orders

17/03/2026

🌱 Our Updated Plant List Is Live! 🌱
The latest plant list is now available on our website, and plants are flying out the door for March and April 🚚✨
If you’re planning a planting project this season, you must do it now to avoid delays. Due to the high volume of orders coming through, the following guidelines apply:

⏳ Minimum number of 120 plants per order
⏳ Orders received from today onwards will be available from mid-April
🌿 Orders over 1,000 plants may require a longer lead-time

👉 View the updated plant list via the link



https://arowhenuanativenurseryandrestoration.rocketspark.co.nz/site_files/44361/upload_files/Plant%20Availability%20List%20March%202026.pdf?dl=1

02/03/2026

🌳 Olearia hectorii (Hector’s Tree Daisy)
✨ Description: A rare, nationally endangered small tree with delicate, daisy-like flowers and fine foliage.
Plants are generally only available by Grow-to-Order due to scarcity. All of our current stock is pre-sold. Ask us about availability for Autumn 2027.
🌱 Growing Conditions: Prefers moist, fertile soils; full sun to partial shade; frost-hardy.
📏 Size: Height 5–10 m, width 3–5 m.
🌿 Rongoā: Historically used for medicinal infusions and as a source of timber for small tools.
💡 Tip: Plant in restoration projects or shelter belts to support biodiversity.

23/02/2026

🌿 Mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus, Whiteywood)
✨ Description: A fast-growing native tree with pale bark and lush green leaves, great for quick cover.
🌱 Growing Conditions: Tolerates a range of soils; thrives in full sun or partial shade; frost-tolerant.
📏 Size: Height 6–10 m, width 3–5 m.
🌿 Rongoā: Leaves and bark used in traditional remedies for skin ailments and inflammation.
💡 Tip: Excellent for riparian planting and attracting native birds.

16/02/2026

🌲 Matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia)
✨ Description: A majestic native conifer with dark green foliage and blue-black berries loved by kererū. Foliage turns red when exposed to strong sunlight - particularly in nursery conditions-foliage will become green again once planted.
🌱 Growing Conditions: Prefers deep, fertile soils; full sun to light shade; slow-growing but long-lived.
📏 Size: Height 20–25 m, width 4–6 m.
🌿 Rongoā: Wood prized for carving and construction; berries historically eaten.
💡 Tip: Perfect for long-term forest restoration and carbon sequestration.

09/02/2026

🌱 Toatoa (Haloragis erecta)
✨ Description: A hardy native herb with reddish-green foliage and tiny flowers, great for groundcover. Makes a great nursery plant as it's an early coloniser following forest fires, hence its nickname firew**d ('w**d' is a dirty word in the nursery, we're banned from using it).
🌱 Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soils; tolerates dry conditions; fast-growing.
📏 Size: Height 30–60 cm, width 30–50 cm.
🌿 Rongoā: Traditionally used for soothing skin irritations and minor wounds.
💡 Tip: Adds color and texture to native gardens and stabilizes soil.

Note: Phyllocladus species (celery pine) is also referred to as toatoa.

09/02/2026

Felicity and Maria are hosting a site at the Underground Festival at Greystone next week. Stop in while you are there and check out our beneficial insect buffet collections - three collections of plants designed to provide year-round food for beneficial insects for three very different planting environments.

MEET THE EXHIBITORS 🐝

Our exhibitors are a community of innovators, growers and researchers passionate about regenerating the land, and they’re doing some really cool stuff.

There’s a tonne of experience that sits behind all of them and we highly recommend you stop in for a few yarns at Underground.

There’s ~

🌿 — biological inputs to boost soil health & crop vitality

🌱 — achieve your restoration and land-use aspirations through forestry and agriculture

📖 — Aotearoa’s homesteading & permaculture magazine

🐄 — nationwide farmer knowledge-sharing network

🔥 — biochar pros putting carbon into your soil

🌾 — for forage seed excellence

🌍 Living Earth — compost wizards turning waste into life

🌱 — gold-standard regen verification

🚜 — compost-compatible sprayers delivering game-changing precision application

🧪 — the soil microbiology testing experts

💦 — inventors of the green Cyclone sprayers

🪱 Hungry Worms — transforming household & business waste into compost (& taking all of our leftovers!)

🌳 - native plants for riparian, wetland, and biodiversity restoration (ask about their Biodiversity for Beneficial Insects project with Plant & Food)

🐄 - the most comprehensive regen ag programme in Aotearoa.

Come ask questions, get inspired, and connect with the people shaping the future of food and farming in Aotearoa.

18 & 19 February 2026
🎟️ still available!

02/02/2026

🌾 Poa cita (Silver Tussock)
✨ Description: A graceful native tussock with fine silver-green leaves, perfect for dry, open landscapes.
🌱 Growing Conditions: Thrives in full sun, well-drained soils, drought-tolerant once established.
📏 Size: Height 60–100 cm, width 50–80 cm.
🌿 Rongoā: Traditionally used for bedding and insulation; valued for its resilience in harsh environments.
💡 Tip: Ideal for erosion control and adding texture to native plantings.

01/02/2026

🌿 5 Hardy Plants for a Dry South Canterbury Environment

Resilient native species for tough, dry sites:
1. Harakeke (Flax) – Phormium tenax
Handles drought, wind & poor soils
Benefits:
• Great shelter & erosion control
• Attracts tūī & korimako (bellbird)
• Strong architectural form

2. Toe Toe – Austroderia richardii
Naturally adapted to dry, windy eastern South Island
Benefits:
• Tall, elegant plumes
• Excellent on stony soils
• Strong habitat & bank stabilisation

3. Mānuka – Leptospermum scoparium
Drought‑tolerant once established
Prefers stony, low‑fertility soils
Benefits:
• Huge food source for pollinators
• Frost hardy
• Perfect early‑succession species

4. Kōhūhū - Pittosporum tenuifolium
Highly tolerant of dry, windy, stony sites
Fast to establish and forms excellent shelter
Benefits:
• Dense evergreen structure for birds
• Attractive dark-toned foliage
• Hardy, low-maintenance, and adaptable

5. Tarata (Lemonwood) – Pittosporum eugenioides
Copes well with drought once roots are set
Benefits:
• Scented leaves and yellow flowers
• Fast shelter creation
• Bright, fresh foliage

🌱 Tips for Success in Dry South Canterbury Conditions
✔ Plant in Early Autumn
Gives roots time to establish while soil still holds moisture.
✔ Clear Grass Competition
Keep a 50cm radius clear around each plant to reduce moisture loss.
✔ Mulch Well
A 5–8cm layer keeps soil cool, suppresses weeds, and reduces evaporation.
✔ Water Only in the First Summer (if needed)
Deep soak occasionally rather than frequent light watering.
✔ Match Plants to Microclimate
Hot north-facing slopes and gravel terraces suit the hardiest species listed.

🌾 Build resilient, biodiverse plantings that thrive in our dry Canterbury landscapes.