What is it for?
PlanterGuide is a procedure for choosing appropriate indigenous plants for landscaping, habitat and biodiversity restoration, revegetation for erosion control, and quarry or mine rehabilitation.  The available pool of 340 native plant species, from throughout New Zealand, represents our most vigorous trees, shrubs, tussocks, ferns, turfs, and mats that are likely to succeed in semi-wild situations with minimal assistance.  This assumes some initial weed control, sometimes establishment of shade and shelter, and on-going maintenance.  Many of New Zealand=s other 2000 indigenous plant species are alpines, are confined to offshore islands or other specialised habitats, or are small herbs of wetlands or grasslands with little likelihood of survival in restored habitats without substantial weed control.  A few low-statured dryland species, included in the current lists, are suited to rock gardens or other intensively weeded environments.  This application of PlanterGuide is being upgraded and more specialist species will be incorporated.
 
Principles for sustainable planting
Choice of plants for a site may be dictated by the natural environment (climate, soil fertility and drainage, fire, browsing pressure), by importance of genetic integrity or local provenance, by aesthetic factors (growth form, texture, colour, suitability for hedging), or utilitarian purposes (shelter, timber, fire breaks, erosion control, attractiveness to wildlife).  When visual appeal is the over-riding concern, the natural environment may be managed or altered to fit the needs of the plant rather than the plant fitting the environment.  However, this is unsustainable on a large scale - requiring use of scarce resources, like water, to prop up unsuitable species - and creates an ‘illegible’ landscape.  That is, the right plant for the right space underpins sustainable vegetation management, ecosystem integrity, and biodiversity conservation.  This natural balance ultimately creates its own aesthetic, and many other utilitarian values flow from it.  Many of these same ecological principles apply to both native and introduced plants.

To find out about individual indigenous plants, an already known plant name can be entered (Latin or common name) and a list of attributes for that species will be displayed.  [This feature is being developed, although the information is available by clicking on a species once a regional or site-specific list has been generated].


How to create a species list for your place!
The suggested sequence of selection criteria (following) produces lists of indigenous species that are found naturally in a named region and are suitable and sustainable for particular substrates, micro-environments, and purposes within those regions.



 
Step 1
For all habitat restoration projects, Ecological Region should be the first selection criterion as this not only imposes the broad climatic constraints, but also is a guide to the species naturally occurring in the region and therefore what is appropriate to be used from a biogeographic perspective.
 
Click on List to choose the EcoRegion. Selecting “All Species” from the Soil Type list will generate the entire pool of species for the EcoRegion. [This feature is still being developed]. Even if the micro-environment can’t be determined with pin-point accuracy, at least the regional species will belong in the general vicinity and will eventually spread onto their optimal sites - or fail!
 
Step 2
The second most important criterion is Soil Type. The soil type or group can be derived using the soil identification module or directly specifying the name if it is already known. [This feature is still to be incorporated].
 
Click on Species List according to the Soil Type.
 
Complications arise with two groups of soils - those classified as Recent and Anthropic. As their names imply, they are immature and have had insufficient time to fully develop characteristics that may be indicative of wet environments – due to either prolonged leaching from rain or subsoil saturation associated with a high water table. Unlike the other (all mature) soils, these two do not necessarily signify the state of wetness or drainage. Recent and Anthropic soils can be either wet or dry depending on rainfall, texture, compaction, or ground water. Since moisture conditions are of major importance to plants, we have given some additional choices when either of these soil groups has been identified.
 
Click on the appropriate Species Lists arranged as below.
 
Step 2A
Recent or Anthropic, free-draining soil:

Rainfall > 800 mm, species list is similar to those for Brown or Melanic soils.

Rainfall < 800 mm, species list is similar to those for Pallic, Melanic, or Aridic soils.

Recent or Anthropic, poorly drained/compacted soil:

Swamps or seepages – species list is similar to those for Gley and Organic soils.

Riparian moist banks or Lake margins – species list is similar to those for Gley and Brown soils.

Saline or brackish tidal marshes – species list is distinctive.

Wetlands generally present zonal or mosaic patterns with conditions ranging from permanently very wet to ephemerally wet or moist. Species selection at this microscale requires a more detailed knowledge of their moisture tolerances. Wetland and streamside planting guides are available from Enviroment Waikato (web page) and Christchurch City Council (web page).  These provide stylised profiles across these gradients with more precise information on species allocation.
 
Step 2B
Anthropic soils that are compacted or somewhat toxic

Such sites require remedial preparation before planting – ripping, liming, and fertilising (NPKS). Species known to be tolerant of these conditions include:
Griselinia littoralis, Leptospermum scoparium, Kunzea ericoides, Cordyline australis, Podocarpus hallii/totara, Coprosma propinqua, Pittosporum tenuifolium, and Olearia dartonii. Heavy mulching is then essential.