Daisy-bushes
What are they?
This is a group of plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) and they are exactly what the name suggests - daisies that grow into woody bushes. While this might seem strange to us, such plants are particularly common in the southern hemisphere and their family allegiance is indicated by the obviously daisy-like flowerheads that they possess.
Where are they found?
This is a group of plants that have been introduced as garden ornamentals, with many species having thick, leathery leaves that render them salt tolerant. As such, they are particularly frequent as amenity and garden plants near the coast, especially as shelter belts from the wind and might sometimes be found on old garden sites or where originally planted on cliffside locations.
Identification
The flowerheads readily identify these plants as members of the daisy family and the leaves are often tough and leathery with the leaf undersides and/or stems covered in dense, white down. Details of the leaf shape and size will separate the various species from each other.
New Zealand Holly Olearia macrodonta
Introduced from New Zealand as a salt-tolerant, garden and amenity plant. Frequent in the region of coastal town seafronts and occasionally recorded where surviving after original plantings in cliftop sites, churchyards and the like. Flowers July to August. May grow to 6m in height but often much less when kept trimmed. Leaves 5-10cm long, superficially like holly but easily told by the white, felted undersides to the leaves.
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Haast's Daisy-bush Olearia x haastii
Introduced from New Zealand and widely used as a salt-tolerant garden plant or occasionally in coastal amenity plantings. Has so far been recorded just once outside of gardens, on the North Norfolk coast. Flowers July to August. A densely branched, evergreen shrub to 2m in height. Leaves 1-3.5cm long, tough, with thickened cuticles.
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Ake-Ake Olearia traversiorum
Introduced from New Zealand and widely used as a salt-tolerant winbreak and screen in the Isles of Scilly and the south-west peninsula. Rare in our region but recorded recently from the Essex coast and perhaps overlooked in similar, urban or semiurban habitats elsewhere. Flowers April to August. A large, evergreen shrub capable of growing to 10m in height. Leaves 4-6.5cm long, tough and leathery and with prominent veins above. Leaf undersides and young shoots coated in white, felty hairs. Flowerheads less daisy-like than other Olearia species on this page, having no petal-bearing florets.
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