good dune plants
Coastal dunes are formed when dry beach sand is moved inland by wind and trapped by dunes and plants that have adapted to this environment.
The two main species of ‘sand-binders’ native to New Zealand are the endemic sedge pingao, and the silvery sand grass or spinifex. Other native plants in dunes are sand tussock, sand coprosma and sand daphne. A common introduced sandbinding plant is marram grass that has taken over considerable expanses of New Zealand’s dune landscape.
They can be generally divided into two groups:
The two main species of ‘sand-binders’ native to New Zealand are the endemic sedge pingao, and the silvery sand grass or spinifex. Other native plants in dunes are sand tussock, sand coprosma and sand daphne. A common introduced sandbinding plant is marram grass that has taken over considerable expanses of New Zealand’s dune landscape.
They can be generally divided into two groups:
- Foredune plants: these form a narrow strip on the ocean facing side of the dunes. They have evolved to help the dunes recover following high tides and storm damage. The main species at Cooks Beach are Pingao and Spinifex.
- Backdune plants: these are the plants grow in the more stable dune area directly behind the foredune plants and extend almost back to the road.