{"product_id":"akeake","title":"Akeake","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf your section catches the worst of the wind and gets very little pampering, Akeake (Dodonaea viscosa) is one to have on your list. This native shrub-tree grows fast, copes with dry, exposed and coastal conditions, and asks very little in return. The narrow, resinous leaves have a slightly sticky feel, and from autumn the plant carries papery seed capsules that flush a lovely pink-bronze, adding colour at a time when much of the garden is winding down.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAkeake's real value shows on the difficult sites where other plants sulk or fail outright. It is regarded as one of the best pioneer species for tough ground, growing quickly enough to provide shelter while slower natives get established beneath it. If you are working through a revegetation project, filling a gap in a shelterbelt, or simply need something reliable on a bank that dries out in summer and copes with salt-laden wind, Akeake earns its place.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLeft unclipped it will form a small tree, but it also takes well to trimming if you want to keep it more compact and shrubby. Either way, it is not a fussy plant once it gets its roots down, and its toughness is really the whole point of growing it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSowing and Growing Akeake\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTo help even out germination, lightly scarify the seed coat before sowing: rub it briefly between two sheets of fine sandpaper, just enough to dull the surface without damaging the embryo inside. Akeake seed will germinate without any pretreatment, but 4 weeks of cold stratification will speed things up and give a more even result.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSow between September and November, with germination best at a soil temperature of 16 to 20°C. Germination typically takes 14 to 30 days. Plants reach a height of 2 to 6 metres and generally take 3 to 6 years from transplanting to reach a useful, established size.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eGermination Capacity: Seed has been sustainably foraged and has not undergone commercial seed cleaning or grading. Natives can be erratic germinators and \u003cspan style=\"mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ;\" lang=\"EN-NZ\"\u003enaturally low in germination capacity. Check expected germination rate under Product Information.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kings Seeds NZ","offers":[{"title":"20 seeds","offer_id":49194531127604,"sku":"L4064.pkt","price":6.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 seeds","offer_id":49194531193140,"sku":"L4064.250sdsW","price":19.2,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"500 seeds","offer_id":49194531225908,"sku":"L4064.500sdsW","price":34.55,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1000 seeds","offer_id":49194531258676,"sku":"L4064.1000sdsW","price":58.75,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2500 seeds","offer_id":49194531160372,"sku":"L4064.2500sdsW","price":117.55,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0729\/0555\/6276\/files\/L4064-W.png?v=1784374931","url":"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/akeake","provider":"Kings Seeds NZ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}