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Herbaceous Perennial

Acaena buchananii

Buchanan’s bidibid

A quick-growing evergreen, mat-forming ornamental perennial with feathered blue-green foliage and clusters of white flowers on upright stems which turn reddish with age. This is a great ground cover plant for flower beds, rock gardens, path edges, and dry stone walls.

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Size
Ultimate height
Up to 10cm
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Blue Green
Summer White Blue Green
Autumn Blue Green
Winter Blue Green
Position
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or East–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Rosaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Matforming
Potentially harmful
Pets (dogs) - Burrs can irritate skin
Genus

Acaena can be evergreen perennials or subshrubs with pinnate leaves with dentate leaflets. Tiny flowers are carried in a dense rounded head or spike, followed by attractive burr-like fruiting heads

Name status

Correct

Plant range
New Zealand

How to grow

Cultivation

This plant is listed on Schedule 9 of the UK Wildlife & Countryside Act (Northern Ireland) as an invasive non-native species. Although not banned from sale, it is an offence to plant or cause these to grow in the wild IN NORTHERN IRELAND Gardeners possessing them should undertake measures to control them. See RHS advice on invasive non-native species for further information

Propagation

Please see cultivation notes

Suggested planting locations and garden types
Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.