Olearia x haastii
Olearia x haastii
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in any well-drained moderately fertile soil in full sun[1, 2]. Thrives in a chalky soil[1] but prefers a light loam or peaty soil[3]. Very tolerant of maritime exposure[4, 2] and atmospheric pollution[1, 2]. A very ornamental plant[5], it is hardy to about -15°c[6], succeeding outdoors at Kew but liable to be cut back to the ground in severe winters[3]. It is perfectly hardy, however, in the mild maritime areas of Britain[2]. Plants flower best in years that follow long hot summers[2]. Can be pruned right back into old wood in order to promote fresh growth[2]. Any pruning is best done in the spring[3]. It is best to trim new growth of young plants by 50% each year for the first three years after planting in order to promote basal shoots[7].
Propagation
Seed - surface sow in early spring in a greenhouse. Do not allow the compost to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. If growth has been sufficiently good, plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer of the following year, otherwise grow them on for another year in pots and plant them out the following early summer. This species is a hybrid and so will not breed true from seed. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame. Pot up in late August and overwinter in a cold frame then plant out in late spring or early summer[8]. Good percentage[3]. Cuttings of moderately ripe wood of the current years growth, 5 - 10cm with a heel, late autumn in a frame. High percentage[8]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Olearia+x+haastii>
Pollinators
Insects
References
- [1]Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. — Thomas. G. S. · Murray · 1992 · ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 ↩︎Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
- [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [3]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
- [4]Shelter Trees and Hedges. — Rosewarne experimental horticultural station. · Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food · 1984 · ISBN - ↩︎A small booklet packed with information on trees and shrubs for hedging and shelterbelts in exposed maritime areas.
- [5]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
- [6]Shrubs. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1989 · ISBN 0-330-30258-2 ↩︎Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1,900 species and cultivars.
- [7]Hedges and Screens. — Shepherd. F.W. · Royal Horticultural Society. · 1974 · ISBN 0900629649 ↩︎A small but informative booklet giving details of all the hedging plants being grown in the R.H.S. gardens at Wisley in Surrey.
- [8]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.