Re: Coprosma robusta

I noted the comment "I've heard stories of them performing properly in hotter and (oddly, given their origins) drier parts of the UK" and wondered if you think that all of New Zealand has high rainfall, and thought that I should comment on that.
New Zealand has very different climates between areas often not very far apart. I am in Grovetown just outside Blenheim on the Wairau plains. We get about half the annual rainfall that they get in Picton which is less than 30 km away.
The extremes of Alexandra in Central Otago has an annual rainfall of 360 mm/year and Milford Sound at 6749 mm/year are not at opposite ends of the country, but only about 150km apart if you put a ruler on a map. 

There is some good climate overview data at
http://www.niwascience.co.nz/edu/resources/climate/overview/
Somewhere there's a site that lists the distribution within New Zealand of native plants, but I just searched and didn't find it so I'm not sure of the distribution of Coprosma robusta, although I note that it is listed as suitable for streamside planting by Christchurch City Council, and as being one of the species noted in the Grovetown Lagoon wetland area (which interested me because it's only a couple of km from me). So that suggests that it is possible that it likes wet feet but does not need high rainfall. 

tim.longville@btinternet.com wrote:
Outside NZ coprosmas do seem to flatter to deceive. 'Nice foliage, neat habit,' and leave it at that... None of mine have ever flowered or fruited, up on the NW coast of the UK. I've heard stories of them performing properly in hotter and (oddly, given their origins) drier parts of the UK - but I've never seen the evidence. Eg, UK nurseryman Graham Hutchins, who's based in Essex, positively specialises in them, with 30+ species and varieties. Those include 6 or more varieties of C. robusta, by the way, Bill, such as 'Cullen's Point,' 'Sally Blunt,' 'Steepdown,' 'Tim Blunt,' 'William,' and 'Woodside.' I assume these are NZ forms he has imported? And that the Blunts are NZ nursery-owners? Am I right, Moira? And what are we - or our climate and conditions! - doing wrong? Tim
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