New Zealand has 22 species of Chionocloa that are endemic to New Zealand this includes the Chionocloa rubra which looks distinctively different from the rest. It has a long living span which means that there is rarely any dead foliage around the plant. This give it a clean, sleek and vertical look. The plant will grow up to 1–1.2m high in rich moist ground with seed heads reaching even taller. The leaf blade themselves grow up to 1 m long and 1.2 mm in diameter and the plant width itself is 50 cm in diameter (with little rhizomatous spread). (Kelly, D. 2000) There is usually long hairs next to the base of the leaf and prickle-teeth towards the apex that help it distinguish itself from other Chionocloa species. There is also rows of short hairs at the base of the leaf However, in dry habita