Koromiko

Veronica stricta, synonym Hebe stricta, commonly called koromiko, is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae, endemic to New Zealand. It is a hebe found throughout the mainland, with long pale green leaves and tiny white flowers in summer formed into a dense inflorescence longer than the leaves. It is a hardy plant that does not tolerate shade, prefers full sun and open habitats on the edge of bush and wetlands, and tolerates wet areas. Koromiko is commonly used in traditional Māori rongoā medicine, by chewing or boiling the leaf buds, or applying them in balms. A sticky substance from young leaf buds was traditionally mixed with the blue pollen of Fuchsia excorticata for a form of make-up. Other traditional uses included lining the hāngī, the earth oven, to give flavour to cooked meat. It is a pioneer plant useful as a nurse crop in revegetation.