Yesterday I mentioned a brown-leaved plant from New Zealand and, at the risk of being repetitive, here is another. Haloragis erecta is a plant native to both islands, largely around the coastal areas and at elevations up to 500. It is called Toatoa. It usually has greenish leaves and tiny pinkish flowers. The oval leaves are deeply toothed. It is usually described as a herbaceous plant but, in my experience it is more of a sub-shrub. It is rarely cultivated except as the variety ‘Wellington Bronze’.

As far as I can tell this arose as a seedling at the Botanic garden at Wellington and was introduced, into the UK, by Plant World seeds in the 1980s. That would tie in with when I first grew it. I had grown it ‘at work’ when I came to Ireland in 2013 and have kept it going since them and it is firmly established here now. The plants last a few years and it self seeds, though you can also take cuttings. It is ‘officially’ borderline hardy but usually survives winter here, losing stem tips but no more, but most plants are seeded where they want to grow so maybe those in the right place simply survive. Strangely, they seem most happy under the apple trees where the soil is heavy and wet in winter. Looking on the net it seems to thrive in wet soil though my gut would not have thought that. It may be because the bronze foliage looks so good with silver leaves like helichrysum, lavenders, sage and the like.

It used to be related to gunnera, but that has been changed which is a shame as I like the thought of it being related to Gunnera manicata et al.

It is easy to raise from seed but I find it seeds around when happy. It is worth trimming back the old stems in spring. Plants reach about 60cm high and wide when mature. It is a useful mixer that deserves to be more widely grown.

haloragis erecta, haloragis wellington bronze, toa toa, toatloa