Name: The Plant Company
Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 843 752
Price range: Contact Us
Rating: 4.8/5

flowering native plants nz

Looking to bring vibrant colour and year-round beauty into your garden? Flowering native plants NZ are an excellent choice for gardeners who want to celebrate New Zealand’s rich botanical heritage while supporting local wildlife and pollinators. Native flowering plants thrive in local conditions, require less maintenance, and help create a gorgeous, authentic Kiwi landscape right at home. Whether you have a large backyard or a compact city courtyard, there’s a flowering native plant to suit your needs.

A lush Coprosma repens shrub growing in a shaded position.

Coprosma repens (Mirror Plant)

Coprosma repens, also known as Taupata or Mirror Plant, is a robust New Zealand native shrub featuring lush, glossy green foliage. Growing up to 3 metres tall and 2 metres wide, it thrives in coastal conditions, tolerating salt spray and wind. Ideal for hedging, screening, or as a backdrop in native plantings, Coprosma repens adds year-round interest with its shiny leaves and low-maintenance nature.

Buy Coprosma repens (Mirror Plant)

From $21.53

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Shrubs

Height: 3.00 m

Spread: 2.00 m

Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy, Wet

Garden uses: Hedging, Living areas, Ponds, Pool areas, Screening

Garden styles: Alpine, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Native, Riparian

Libertia grandiflora plant with elegant white flowers and lush, dark green foliage.

Libertia grandiflora (NZ Iris)

Libertia grandiflora, commonly known as NZ Iris, is a hardy New Zealand native perennial admired for its elegant white flowers and sword like green foliage. Blooming in late spring to early summer, the flowers rise gracefully above the foliage, creating a striking display. This clump forming plant is perfect for borders, rock gardens, and native plantings. With its resilience and low maintenance needs, Libertia grandiflora is a versatile and attractive choice for NZ gardens.

Buy Libertia grandiflora (NZ Iris)

From $15.86

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Flaxes

Height: 60 cm

Spread: 75 cm

Flowering time: Spring

Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Parks, Paths & Steps, Pool areas, Specimen

Garden styles: Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Native

Why Choose Flowering Native Plants NZ?

Choosing flowering native plants NZ offers ecological, aesthetic, and practical benefits. These plants are perfectly adapted to New Zealand’s unique soils and weather patterns, making them hardier and more drought-tolerant than many exotic species. They not only help keep your garden looking lush with bursts of colour but also provide food and habitat for native birds, bees, and butterflies.

Popular Flowering Native Plants to Grow

If you’re just getting started with flowering native plants NZ, you’ll be delighted by the variety available. Here are some favourites to consider:

Hebe

Hebe varieties are abundant in New Zealand and renowned for their clusters of purple, white, or pink flowers. These evergreen shrubs suit most gardens and attract pollinators throughout the year.

Manuka and Kanuka

Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) and Kanuka (Kunzea ericoides) produce delicate white and pink blossoms, cherished for their beauty and healing properties. Both are low-maintenance and resilient to New Zealand’s climate.

Rewarewa

Rewarewa (Knightia excelsa), also known as the New Zealand honeysuckle, features striking red bottlebrush flowers. It’s an ideal choice for attracting tui and other native birds.

Other Garden Companions

While searching for flowering natives, you might also enjoy plants that pair beautifully with them. For a showy spring display, consider Chaenomeles 'Alarm' (Flowering Quince), which offers vivid scarlet blooms. Ornamental grasses such as Carex maorica (NZ Sedge) add texture and movement, complementing showier flowers. Shrubs like Coprosma repens (Mirror Plant) provide glossy foliage year-round.

Designing a Native Flower Garden

Start by layering plants for visual interest. Combine taller flowering natives with low-growing groundcovers and grasses. Mix forms and textures by planting hebes, flaxes, and the bold Duranta Geisha Girl (Geisha Girl Plant) alongside indigenous flowering species. Shade or shelter can be added with small trees such as the resilient Sorbus aucuparia Scarlet King (Rowan Tree NZ), which adds height and seasonal colour.

Caring for Your Flowering Native Plants NZ

Once established, native plants typically need very little care—just occasional watering and annual mulching to keep roots cool and weeds at bay. Avoid heavy feeding, as many natives thrive in lean soils. Prune after flowering to keep your garden tidy and promote new blooms.

Choose flowering native plants NZ to create a thriving, low-maintenance oasis that celebrates the beauty of Aotearoa right outside your door. Explore our full range and discover the perfect plants to transform your garden today.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.