Photo: Toitoi Plants Kaikoura

Toitoi plants blowing in the breeze along the Kaikoura Beach on the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand.

The toitoi plants can grow up to 3 meters tall along the Kaikoura Beach on the South Island of New Zealand. Toitoi plants are frequently found growing in damp sandy areas and in the wetlands of Kaikoura, New Zealand and look so delicate as they sway back and forth in the wind along the beach.

The flower head of the Toitoi plants forms white, feathery arching plumes and the edge of the leaves are made up of fine saw-like teeth. The flower plumes form in the late spring and last throughout the summer and grow extremely fast and large.The name of the Toitoi plants originated from the Maori people and can be spelled Toitoi or Toetoe. Toetoe is the preferred spelling by botanists but both ways are Maori words and are pronounced the same.

The toitoi plants are four species of tall grasses that are native to New Zealand and Kaikoura seems to be a prime location for these plants to flourish.

Toitoi plants, Cortaderia toetoe, Kaikoura, Canterbury, East Coast, South Island, New Zealand.