Raoulia australis aka Common Mat Daisy
Taxonomy ID: 704
Raoulia australis, commonly known as scabweed, common scabweed, golden scabweed, common mat daisy or vegetable sheep, is a tiny evergreen perennial in the daisy family (Asteraceae) endemic to New Zealand. It occurs on both the North and South Islands, ranging from the Tararua Ranges south through the South Island to Otago, where it grows on drylands, in stony riverbeds and on coastal sand dunes. The species was first described scientifically in 1846 and is the type species of the genus Raoulia, a group of cushion- and mat-forming alpines unique to New Zealand and collectively nicknamed "vegetable sheep" because their dense silvery cushions can resemble grazing animals at a distance.
The plant builds flat mats — and occasionally rounded cushions — that can reach a metre or more across but rarely lift more than 1–2 cm above the substrate. Densely packed, erect branchlets rise from prostrate creeping stems and are clothed in extremely small (≤2 mm) spathulate leaves arranged in roughly five series, with a dense silvery tomentum on their upper surfaces that gives the foliage its characteristic moss-like, silver-grey texture. In summer the mats are studded with tiny solitary flower heads, 4–5 mm in diameter, each containing 12–20 florets framed by spreading bright-yellow phyllary tips. The flowers themselves are small and considered ornamentally insignificant; it is the silvery cushion of foliage, rather than the bloom, that makes the plant a sought-after specimen for alpine gardeners.
In cultivation Raoulia australis is treated as a specialist alpine and is not regarded as easy. It demands full sun and "perfect drainage," and is reliably reported to perish in ordinary border conditions, making it best suited to scree gardens, raised alpine beds, troughs and rock gardens, where it can also serve as a slow-spreading drought-tolerant groundcover that tolerates moderate foot traffic and is generally left alone by deer. It tolerates normal or sandy soils across the full pH range but insists on dry conditions; established mats can be propagated by division of clumps in early spring. Recommended USDA hardiness zones are 5–9. In the wild the species is in decline: the New Zealand Threat Classification System has rated it "At Risk – Declining" (2017 and again in 2023), with habitat loss from weed invasion, agricultural intensification (irrigation and fertilisation of dryland habitats) and coastal erosion identified as the principal threats. There are no documented edible, medicinal or other utilitarian uses, and Raoulia australis is not listed in the ASPCA toxic-plant database.
Common names
Common Mat Daisy, Golden Scabweed, ScabweedMore information about Common Mat Daisy
How hard is it to grow Common Mat Daisy?
Raoulia australis is generally considered a challenging alpine to grow. Sources describe it as offering "a challenge to the gardener to find just the right spot with perfect drainage" and warn that specimens "will perish in average border conditions." It is best suited to dedicated alpine settings — scree beds, raised troughs and rock gardens — rather than ordinary mixed borders.
How big does Common Mat Daisy get?
The plant forms a very low silvery mat — typically only 1–2 cm tall — that creeps across and between rocks and can spread 15–30 cm in cultivation, with wild mats reported up to 1 m or more in diameter. Growth is slow, and the carpet is built from densely packed erect branchlets arising from prostrate creeping stems.
Where is Common Mat Daisy native to?
Raoulia australis is endemic to New Zealand and occurs on both the North and South Islands, ranging from the Tararua Ranges south through the South Island to Otago. Typical habitats are drylands, stony riverbeds and coastal sand dunes. The New Zealand Threat Classification System lists it as "At Risk – Declining" (2023).
How often should I water Common Mat Daisy?
Raoulia australis needs dry soil conditions and is described as drought-tolerant; it is explicitly noted as not suitable for moist environments. Excellent drainage matters more than watering frequency.
What soil does Common Mat Daisy need?
The species tolerates normal or sandy soils at essentially any pH (acidic, neutral or alkaline), but drainage must be sharp — its native habitats are drylands, stony riverbeds and coastal sand dunes, and it fails on heavy or wet ground.
How much light does Common Mat Daisy need?
Grow Raoulia australis in full sun. The genus as a whole tolerates partial shade, but the cushion form, silvery foliage and flowering all favour an open, sunny position.
What temperature does Common Mat Daisy tolerate?
USDA hardiness zones 5–9 are recommended for Raoulia australis in cultivation. Genus-level notes record temperature tolerances ranging roughly between −7°C and 2°C depending on source.
Does Common Mat Daisy need fertilizer?
No specific fertilizer requirements are reported for Raoulia australis; sources describing its cultivation do not list a feeding regime. As a slow-growing alpine adapted to lean soils, it is unlikely to benefit from regular feeding.
What do Common Mat Daisy flowers look like?
The flower heads are small (4–5 mm in diameter) with 12–20 florets each and bright yellow phyllary tips that spread outward. Cultivation references describe the flowers as "tiny and insignificant" — the ornamental value lies in the silvery foliage, not the bloom.
What varieties of Common Mat Daisy exist?
A cultivar named 'calf' is mentioned for Raoulia australis. Several botanical varieties — var. lutescens, var. albosericea, var. apice-nigra and var. apicinigra — have historically been described, but they are now treated as synonyms of the species rather than as accepted distinct taxa.
Can Common Mat Daisy be grown outdoors?
Raoulia australis is grown outdoors in alpine and rock gardens, scree beds, troughs and containers as a slow-spreading, drought-tolerant, deer-resistant groundcover that even tolerates moderate foot traffic. In its native New Zealand range it is in decline, threatened by weed invasion, agricultural intensification (irrigation and fertilisation of dryland habitats) and coastal erosion.
How do I propagate Common Mat Daisy?
Established clumps may be divided in early spring to propagate Raoulia australis.
Is Common Mat Daisy toxic to humans/pets?
Sources
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