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Libertia peregrinans (Orange Libertia) – An interesting and colorful rhizomatous perennial with stiffly upright foliage to just under 2 feet tall. The leaves are green in the center and bright orange along the margins. Lightly fragrant, pure white blooms on branched stems (shorter than the leaves) appear in the spring.
Plant is sun or light shade where it has moderate water needs, and is hardy to about 15 degrees F. It slowly forms colonies by rhizomes (which distinguishes it from the solitary Libertia ixioides). This plant makes a statement and is particularly striking when it is backlit.
Libertia peregrinans grows naturally throughout much of the North and South Islands of New Zealand and on Stewart and Chatham Islands where it is found in coastal lowlands, dune swales, bogs and swamp margins. The name for the genus honors the Belgian botanist and mycologist Marie-Anne Libert (1782–1865) (also referred to as Anne-Marie Libert), one of the first women plant pathologists. The specific epithet comes from the Latin word 'peregrinantis' that means "traveler" or "to wander" in reference to the rhizomatous spreading nature of this plant. We have grown this interesting and attractive plant since 1996.
The information about Libertia peregrinans that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
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