How to grow Acaena Buchananii
A mat-forming ground cover plant native to New Zealand. Known as Bidibid in its native country or New Zealand burr elsewhere. Prefers moist, well-drained soil with a sunny, south/south-easterly aspect in a sheltered position. Plant at the same height as in the pot and this evergreen perennial will produce white flowers in July-August on top of its blue-green pinnate leaves. A drought tolerant plant which provides great ground cover and is good for pollinators. Spreads to 1m and reaches a height of 10cm. Can be divided in autumn or propagated by semi-ripe cuttings. Use as groundcover or plant around rocks, paths and edges – dislikes winter wet so keep a watchful eye.
Key Information
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Hardiness
Where & when to plant Acaena Buchananii
Fast growing Acaena buchananii is perfect for use as an evergreen groundcover plant. An excellent choice of plant to grow near the front of your borders, trailing through rockeries or along the edge of a pathway to soften the edges of slabs or gravel. This useful little shrub also looks great tumbling over a stone wall with its feathery grey-blue foliage.
Preferring to grow in full sun to part shade, Acaena buchananii thrives in all soil types which are moist and well-drained.
Choose a spot in full sun to plant your young shrubs. The plants will reach a spread of up to 2m in 2-5 years so bear this in mind when growing several plants together.
How to plant Acaena Buchananii
Clear any weeds from the planting area and amend your soil beforehand by deeply digging in compost if required. Remember, the addition of organic matter such as homemade compost will help to maintain good soil structure, drainage, moisture retention, and nutrition – especially if you garden on poor, sandy, or clay soil.
Dig planting holes for your Acaena buchananii using a garden trowel a little wider and deeper than the root ball of your new plant. If you are planting up a large area or strip, group plants together in 3’s or 5’s or plant in random drifts near the front of a border or pathway edge for an organic look. The plants will grow rapidly and soon form a textured mat of silvery-green.
Add some grit to your planting holes if you garden on heavy soil and a handful of leaf mould or compost to help young plants off to a good start.
Gently tease the plants from their pots taking care not to damage the roots before placing in the hole and filling in carefully around the edges with soil. Gently firm in and water your plants well until established.
What to plant with Acaena Buchananii
A grey-green carpet of Acaena buchananii will provide great edging for a sunny pathway, or excellent groundcover for difficult to plant areas such as slopes and banks.
This adaptable plant suits both contemporary and traditional garden design, bringing texture, soft colour and an ever-useful weed-suppressing quality.
Due to its low-growing nature, Acaena buchananii is best placed towards the front of the garden border or path where it can be seen.
Good companion plants for Acaena buchananii include Heuchera, Angelica, Persicaria, Geraniums, Euphorbia, and Sedums. Think carefully about heights and layers when designing your planting scheme and remember this plant will spread, so place the next tier well behind Acaena buchananii to avoid it being smothered.
A great addition to a drought tolerant prairie garden with Ornamental grasses such as Festuca ‘Sunrise’, Cortaderia ‘Selloana Rosea’, and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Sirene’.
Please contact our friendly and helpful Customer Care Team at Hayloft if you would like any further help or growing advice for your Acaena buchananii plants.
How to care for Acaena Buchananii
Acaena buchananii produce small creamy-white flowers in summer which develop into red burrs – watch out for these getting trapped in pet fur as they can be difficult to remove! Deadhead the flowers as they fade in late summer if this is a problem for you.
This plant grows and spreads rapidly so ensure you allow it plenty of space to romp. Any stems which touch the ground will quickly grow roots – you can remove these stems to maintain a smaller sized plant. Prune plants back in October if you wish to control the spreading habit.
Once established, Acaena buchananii is a drought tolerant plant and should not require watering. It is also a plant which is able to survive in poor soils, so feeding is not necessary.
How to propagate Acaena Buchananii
Divide congested clumps of Acaena buchananii every few years when you notice the centre of the clumps begin to look bare and open. This is best done in either March or October. Dividing will help to maintain the vigour of your plants and increase stock for your garden or for sharing.
Dig new planting holes and add a little organic matter and grit as before if you are planning to replant new sections straight away. Or, have pots of gritty compost at hand to plant divisions into for growing on.
Dig around the clump with a garden fork to remove it from the soil. Watering plants and the ground surrounding them well beforehand will make this job much easier if you have not recently received rainfall. Separate the plant into several smaller sections by using two forks back-to-back in the centre of the mass and pulling them apart. Trim away and discard the centre of the mass as the healthiest growth will be on the outside of your plants. Plant your new divisions into their holes or pots and water well until established.