New Zealand's largest native grass. A giant among grasses. A plant that demands to be noticed. Toetoe has plumed flower heads that can reach three metres high. The leaves are tough and fibrous. Toetoe was used extensively by Māori for thatching roofs and walls, making kites, arrows, and for weaving. The fluffy seed heads were used as tinder for fire-making. A grass that built houses and started fires. The leaves are long, narrow, and arching, forming a large, fountain-like clump. They are bright green on top and paler underneath. The leaf margins are sharply serrated, capable of cutting skin. The flower stalks rise high above the leaves, topped with large, plumed flower heads that are silvery-white or golden. Beautiful, but sharp. A plant with an edge. The plant is extremely hardy, growing in coastal cliffs, sand dunes and wetlands. It tolerates salt spray, strong winds, and drought. The deep root system helps stabilise sand dunes and prevent erosion. A grass that holds the coast together. Toetoe is often confused with introduced pampas grass, which is similar in appearance. Toetoe has drooping flower heads and yellow-green leaves, while pampas grass has upright flower heads and blue-green leaves. The leaves of toetoe are also more sharply serrated. A native that looks like an invader. But it was here first. To find toetoe is to walk the coastal cliffs and sand dunes. Look for the large, fountain-like clumps of arching leaves, the towering flower heads. It is a plant of the coast, a giant among grasses. The leaves are sharp, but the flowers are soft. The wind blows. The plumes sway. The toetoe holds the dune together, sharp blades and all. It does not need to be gentle. It just needs to hold on. And it does. It has been doing it for thousands of years.