culinary herb / groundcover, honey-bee food plant
THIS PERENNIAL HERB Striking pinnate foliage, perennial. Suitable for natural landscaping. Easy to grow.
Gingidia montana is a small, erect, perennial herb growing to 30 cm tall with a similar spread and flowering occurring naturally in Australia and New Zealand.
The blue-green leaves are long and are highly divided with small oval leaflets which have slightly serrated edges. Flowers which are similar to a carrot, are white, small and in clusters of 8–12 and the fruit are oval-shaped. Gingidia montana occurs in crevices of basalt and trachyte rock on cliffs. It is found in moist open sites in both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It is readily eaten by deer.
Plant Description
Life Cycle: | Perennial |
Family: | Apiaceae |
Origin: | New Zealand: open grasland, along rivers and creeks. |
Special Features: | Striking pinnate foliage, perennial. Suitable for natural landscaping. Easy to grow. |
Basic Colour: | (white / cream) |
Flower Colour: | white umbels |
Natural Flowering Period: | June – August |
Seed – best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe since the seed only has a short viability Seed can also be sown in the spring, though germination rates will be lower. It requires light for germination[ When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in the spring. Cold-germinators are still referred to as frost-germinators, although this isn’t quite correct. The sowing must be kept warm (about +18 to +22°C) [about 64 to 72°F] and moist for the first 2–4 weeks. After this period the sowing must be kept at a cold temperature (between –4 and +4°C) [between 25 and 39°F] for another 4–6 weeks. Colder temperatures of –5°C [23°F] are only advantageous for most species of the Ranunculus family. It is not so important if the temperature is higher or lower during the cooling period, but the cooling period has to be prolonged because the synthesis of the germination inducer, hormon-like acid, slows down or comes to a standstill. |
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Winter Hardiness Zones: | Z6 – Z9 |
Foliage: | pinnate, oblong-ovate, serrulate, very strong, green. |
Growth Habit: | sturdy / vigorous |
Height with Flowers: | 40 cm |
Spacing between Plants: | 40 cm |
Soil Requirements: | moist / along streamsides / average |
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