Olearia solandri aka Coastal Daisybush

Olearia solandri is an evergreen shrub from New Zealand. Its common name is coastal daisy bush. It belongs to Asteraceae, the daisy family. Its native range includes both North and South Islands. It grows near the coast, with some inland sites on South Island. Its dense growth and small leaves give it a bushy outline. The foliage stays on the plant through the year.

Garden plants reach about 5–8 feet [1.5–2.5 metres] tall and wide. The RHS also describes shrubs around 6.6 feet [2 metres] tall. Plants take about five to ten years to reach full size. Growth is slow, so a hedge takes time to fill out. Small, narrow leaves grow in clusters and look like heather foliage. Fine yellowish hairs cover the shoots and leaf undersides. Small flowers resemble daisies and have a pale yellow colour. They have a strong scent and appear from late summer into early autumn.

Choose a sunny spot with fertile soil that drains well. The shrub grows in chalk, loam, or sand. It accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. Chalky ground suits it well, and coastal exposure poses little trouble. Its moisture range runs from dry to moist soil. The RHS gives it a UK hardiness rating of H4. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 8–11. In places with hard winters, use a cool or temperate greenhouse. Another option is a container that can move indoors for winter.

This shrub can form a windbreak hedge on exposed coasts. It tolerates severe pruning, which helps when managing a hedge. Light trimming can keep individual plants dense and neat. Its foliage and scented flowers also suit beds and borders. The RHS suggests coastal, cottage, wildlife, and Mediterranean-style gardens. It also lists borders beside walls as suitable planting sites. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer to raise new plants.

Pests seldom cause problems, and disease is uncommon. Honey fungus can affect the shrub, though the RHS calls this rare. Plants For A Future reports no known edible uses. It also records no known medicinal uses or hazards. That lack of recorded hazards does not establish that eating it is safe.