Libertia peregrinans

Mikoikoi, New Zealand Iris

A small, loosely clustering, lily-like plant native to the North and South Islands of New Zealand, Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands, where it grows in moist or boggy soils at low elevation, mostly near the coast. The stiff, flat leaves are arranged in small fans and exhibit a beautiful dark, coppery orange color when grown in full sun, particularly along the leaf midribs. The short inflorescences hold many pretty, small, white flowers. While its populations are declining in its native habitat, it is a very easy plant in cultivation and a popular ornamental, suitable for a range of temperate climates and tolerating fairly severe freezes. Seeds germinate quickly without prior treatment.

(read all testimonials here)

germination comments by our visitors
For general germination instructions click here.

Also see plant cultivation comments below.

Seeds from this species ...

(...sorry, no comments yet.)

win € 50 worth of seeds

by writing a germination comment about how to germinate the seeds of this species. Click here!

plant cultivation comments by our visitors
Also see germination commnets above.

Plants from this species ...

... have not yet been commented on. Be the first to write a comment:

win € 75 worth of seeds

by writing a plant cultivation comment about how to cultivate the plants of this species. Click here!

If you wish to read more on palm cultivation, we highly recommend Ornamental Palm Horticulture by Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow, available in our bookshop.

Ratings and comments reflect individual experiences and the views of our visitors. They do not necessarily describe the most appropriate methods, nor are they necessarily valid for all seeds or plants of this species. Germination and plant cultivation success depends on many different factors; nevertheless, these experiences will hopefully aid you in your effort to get the best germination results from our seeds and the best growth results from your plants.

We recommend:

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms
by Robert Lee Riffle, Paul Craft, Scott Zona

2nd edition
Completely revised and updated
Hardcover - 528 pages
11 x 8.5 inches

Our rating:

Suitable for: all

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is the definitive account of all palms that can be grown for ornamental and economic use. Palms are often underutilized as a result of their unfamiliarity—even to tropical gardeners. To help introduce these valuable plants to a new audience, the authors have exhaustively documented every genus in the palm family.
825 species are described in detail, including cold hardiness, water needs, height, and any special requirements. Generously illustrated with more than 900 photos, including photos of several palm species that have never before appeared in a general encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is as valuable as an identification guide as it is a practical handbook. Interesting snippets of history, ethnobotany, and biology inform the text and make this a lively catalog of these remarkable plants.

Available at the following book shops:

Other selected books are available in our Book Shop