Shade tolerant shrubs important to fill gaps
Among and under taller tree species, shadetolerant shrubs are important to establish cover between the larger trees, reinforce the shade created by these trees, fill in any gaps in the canopy, establish in areas which may be disturbed by flood or windthrow from time to time.
Here in the Waikato along waterways there is a group of native shrubs ideally suited to this purpose.
Coprosma propinqua, C.rigida, C.rotundifolia, and C.areolata all look very similar, but, except in unusual circumstances, will not cross breed.
These are not particularly well known possibly because they are difficult to distinguish between. They may all be sometimes known as mingimingi, mingi or mikimiki.
These are very useful despite not being well known because they tolerate wet ground and flooding so well.
These four will also grow well without shelter or under the shade of taller trees so make a perfect accompaniment to kahikatea and to¯tara along farm drains, streams and riverbanks.
In fact, these are the native shrubs most often found in places where inaccessible stream banks have retained some native cover.
Protecting these shrubs in their native landscape is important now because these shrubs are not so common on hillsides where most of our native bush now finds refuge.