carpets the damp lawn and garden paths

Size
Height: 2-5 cm, Spread: up to 1 m
Lifespan
Perennial
Diet
Photosynthetic ground cover. Obtains nutrients from moist, well-drained soils. Not applicable as autotroph.
Habitat
Lawns, gardens, grasslands, open forests, and disturbed areas. Prefers moist, well-drained soils. Tolerates moderate shade and foot traffic.
Range
Native to New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific islands. Found throughout North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island.
Endemism
Native
Main Threats
No significant threats. May be outcompeted by exotic grasses in some areas.
Population
Common throughout New Zealand. Also found in Australia and Pacific islands. Not threatened. Often used as lawn alternative.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
introduced ground cover, safe to handle
Conservation Note
Native herb; widespread in damp habitats throughout New Zealand.
Assessment
NZTCS Vascular Plants (2023)
Te Ao Māori
Dichondra repens has no recognised Māori name. Plant probably known but not distinctively named. Native to New Zealand. Part of ground cover of lowland forests and grasslands. Today valued as lawn alternative.
It does not inhabit the wild exclusively. Dichondra repens looks harmless. Spreads like gossip. Kidney weed has soft, round leaves. Form dense mat across ground. Not weed despite name. Native ground cover. Valued for ability to replace exotic grass. Leaves are kidney-shaped. Bright green. Held on slender stems. Soft to touch. Plant creeps along ground. Rooting at nodes. Single plant can cover square metre. Flowers tiny, greenish, inconspicuous. Will not notice them. Leaves are point. Dichondra repens grows in lawns, gardens, open forests, and disturbed areas. Likes moisture. Tolerates shade. Does not like heavy foot traffic. Tolerates light use. As lawn alternative needs less mowing than grass. Stays green in drought. Does not need fertiliser. Name repens means creeping. Fits. Plant does not stand up. Spreads out. Covers ground. Kidney weed is native to New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific. Belongs here. Been here long time. In gardens Dichondra repens is favourite. Fills spaces between pavers. Grows under trees. Softens edges. Easy to propagate. Break off piece. Stick in damp soil. It will grow. Plant is not aggressive. Does not smother other plants. Coexists. Fills gaps. Dichondra repens is not threatened. Common. Cultivated. Found in wild and gardens. Kidney-shaped leaves are giveaway. No other common ground cover has leaves quite like this. Dichondra repens is reminder. Native plants can be useful. Beautiful. Better than grass. It carries on.