RESOURCES :: Trees for Survival
- Click on Native Plants for information about plants particularly those grown by schools in their Plant Growing Units as part of the Trees for Survival programme.
- Learn how to make Seedballs - Download
- Click on Primary School Resource to download material useful for teaching the TFS programme in Primary Schools.
- Click on Secondary School Resource to download material useful for teaching the TFS programme in Secondary Schools.
NATIVE PLANT INFORMATION
To get information click on the name of the plant below.
AKEAKE
Maori Name:- Akeake
Common Name:- Dodonea
Botanical Name:- Dodonea viscosa
What does it look like?
Akeake is a small tree up to seven metres in height with pale green, long, thin and willow-like leaves, tiny flowers without petals and striking reddish-yellow seed capusules, which have thin, broad wings. The trunk grows up to 16 cm in diameter. Both male and female plants are needed in order to produce seeds. The form Dodonea viscosa 'Purpurea' is a purple coloured variety which lives on the banks of the Wairau River in Marlborough.
Where does it grow?
Akeake is common in coastal and lowland scrub and forest throughout the North Island and as far south as Greymouth and Banks Peninsula in the South Island. It grows from sea level up to 550 metres wherever severe frost is not a problem. It withstands strong winds, salt spray and dry conditions, but needs a well drained soil.
Growing tips ... in your Plant Growing Unit
Trim the tops of each plant in late summer/autumn as they get up to 30 cm in height to prevent them getting leggy. Leggy plants do not grow as well as more compact forms when they are planted out, so regular trimming will help them establish.
Planting out for soil conservation
Akeake is very good for providing low coastal shelter. The fibrous spreading root system, rapid growth and spreading canopy make it an ideal soil stabiliser, which is particularly useful in controlling gully and coastal dune erosion.
Used to ...
Akeake timber is one of the hardest native woods. Its heartwood (from the centre of the trunk) is black with streaks of white and is very dense and heavy. The wood was traditionally used for paddles, weapons, digging sticks and spade blades. The twigs can be used to make a number of dyes – pale green, yellow green, and bright gold. Although the leaves and seed were used to make a kind of perfume, the Maori did not seem to use the tree medicinally. This is suprising, since in Indonesia, Tahiti, Panama and Peru the same tree is used for reducing fevers.
Did you know?
The name Akeake means 'forever and ever' - a reference to the amazing hardness of the wood - things made from it seemed to last for ever and ever!
Download Akeake Information Sheet
CABBAGE TREE
Maori Name:- Ti Kouka
Common Name:- Cabbage Tree
Botanical Name:- Cordyline australis
What does it look like?
The young cabbage tree has a single, grey coloured trunk and later adds more trunks and branches with leaves clustered in bunches at the tips. Growing 12-20 metres. The long narrow leaves may be up to a metre long and the trunk 1.5 metres in diameter. The bark is thick and tough, like cork and the tree has a strong tap-root. In November to January hundreds of strongly scented white flowers form in clusters, attracting bees. The flowers form bluish-white berries which birds like to eat.
Where does it grow?
Cabbage trees are common throughout farmland, open places, wetlands and scrubland of the North and South Islands, but are rare on Stewart Island. They are found up to j800 metres above sea level in anything from wet swampy ground to dry windy hill slopes. Frost tender when young, they prefer full sunlight, so they are common on farms. This species is not found in forest.
Growing tips ... in your Plant Growing Unit
Young cabbage trees look a lot like flax; you can tell the difference because they have narrower, sharper leaves than flax and do not have flax's distinctive mid-rib on the under -side of the leaf. Cabbage trees can stay in their root trainers for their year in your Unit.
Planting out for soil conservation
Cabbage trees are good "colonising" species - they grow happily on bare ground or exposed places. Their strong root system helps stop soil slip on steep slopes. Because they tolerate wet soil, they are a useful species for planting on streambanks to control bank erosion.
Used to ...
Maori used Ti Kouka both as a food and as a fibre. The root, stem and top are all edible, a good source of starch and sugar. The fibre is separated by long cooking or by breaking up before cooking. The leaves were woven into baskets, sandals rope rain capes and other items an were also made into tea to cure diarrhoea and dysentery. The name 'cabbage tree' cam from Captain Cook and his sailors, who ate the shoots to prevent scurvy. The trunk of the cabbage tree is so fire resistant that early settlers used it to make chimneys for their huts! Conveniently, too, the leaves made fine kindling.
Did you know about the Cabbage Tree mystery?
In about 1987 cabbage trees started suddenly dropping their leaves and dying from blockages that stop the movement of water and food through the transport tissue inside the trunk. After nearly five years of work, scientists found the cause is a microscopic "mycoplasma-like organism" - MLO for short - that resembles both a virus and bacteria and is spread from tree to tree by a tiny sap-sucking insect. There is still no cure, so we need to keep planting more young cabbage trees to replace the dying populations.
Download Cabbage Tree Information Sheet
Find out more about the Cabbage Tree
COPROSMA
Maori Name:- Karamu
Common Name:- Coprosma
Botanical Name:- Coprosma robusta
What does it look like?
Karamu is a shrub which grows to around five metres in height, with pale brown bark and sharp-pointed leathery leaves. The green flowers grow in dense heads and by autumn they turn into many small orange-coloured bitter fruit that attract birds. Karamu does not produce fruit until about three years after planting.
Where does it grow?
Karamu can be found as far north as Cape Reinga and as far south as North Otago or even Foveaux Strait, growing anywhere from sea level up to 1,200 metres. Often found where soil is poor or swampy or where conditions are windy or cold, it is a tough plant that will grow in difficult conditions. It tolerates full sun and shade equally well and is common in lowland and mountain forest. Karamu is wind hardy and frost tolerant when mature.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Karamu doesn't need to be potted on from the root trainers, but it is important to keep pruning it during late summer/autumn so it doesn't get 'leggy' and spindly. Try to keep the plants to 30 cm height. Leggy plants do not grow as well as more compact forms when they are planted out, so regular trimming will help them establish.
Planting out for soil conservation
Karamu is one of the most useful plants for controlling soil erosion: it has been called the soil conservation workhorse. Karamu is suitable for general revegetation on bare infertile soils and provides good shelter for other more sensitive plants. A particularly hardy colonising species, it will grow well in moist or dry soils. Early growth is fast, so it provides good rapid shelter for other plants. Its dense, fibrous root system makes it good for stabilising soil.
Used to ...
Maori made yellow dyes from a range of coprosma species, while children ate the fruit in spite of their rather bitter taste. Maori tohunga used branchlets of karamu in many religious and healing rites, including for ceremonies to lift the tapu from mother and child at childbirth and to ensure the success of the crop of kumara at planting time.
Did you know ... ?
Karamu have both male and female plants which must grow near each other in order to produce berries and seeds. Worldwide there are over 90 species of Coprosma, of which 45 are found in New Zealand. Coprosma is in the Rubiaceae family which includes the beautiful gardenias and species that provide coffee and quinine, an anti-malarial substance.
Download Coprosma Information Sheet
FLAX
Maori Name:- Harakeke
Common Name:- Flax
Botanical Name:- Phormium tenax
What does it look like?
Flax has an easily recognisable shape: its long, pointed leaves fan out from the root to a height of about three metres. Flaxes have a rhizome, or an underground stem, which is short and stout. Thick, fleshy roots sprouting from the rhizome hold the plant firmly in the soil. There are many different varieties of flax. All have tall, tree-like flower stems with dull red flowers that produce large numbers of shiny black seeds and lots of nectar from November to January - a great attraction to birds, especially tui.
Where does it grow?
Flax grows throughout New Zealand. It is a very adaptable plant because it can put up with both wet or dry sites, warm or cold climates and soils of high or low fertility.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Flaxes don't need potting on: they can stay in the root trainer until being planted out - just trim the leaves if you need to make more room for them in the growing unit.
Planting out for soil conservation
Flax doesn't mind being waterlogged, so it is very useful for planting in soils which are so damp that other plants won't grow. It is often used to plant stream edges, where its roots help to bind the soil and stop stream bank erosion.
Its leaves also shade the water, cutting down light levels and reducing over-growth of water weeds. Because it can also grow on dry, windswept hillsides, flax is especially useful for revegetating old erosion scars. It provides good wind shelter for pasture or native seedlings.
Used to ...
Pre-European Maori used flax as their main fibre plant for making kete, nets, mats cloaks, sandals, ropes and many other useful things. When dyed it makes decorative tukutuku panels and patterned kete. Flax nectar was also used by the Maori as a sweetener before Europeans brought sugar to New Zealand. Flax also had medical uses as an antiseptic, a purgative (to encourage bowel movement), to treat burns and as a splint for broken bones.
Flax was the basis of a major export industry in the 1800's and early 1900's with large flax mills eventually being built. The flax was harvested and placed on drying racks for bleaching in the sunlight before being processed into matting and baling materials.
Did you know ... ?
Pukekos just love newly planted flax! It is one of their favourite foods. If there are pukekos where you are planting out, you will need to make sure the plants are firmly heeled in and use a repellent to protect them from being eaten!
Download Flax Information Sheet
GRISELINIA
Maori Name:- Kapuka/Papauma
Common Name:- Broadleaf
Botanical Name:- Griselinia littoralis
What does it look like?
Griselinia grows to a medium sized tree of 10 metres or more, and is usually recognized by the short, gnarled trunk with rough furrowed bark. It often grows as a many-stemmed shrub, rather than forming a single trunk. Its leathery, bright green leaves are more or less oval and wavy in appearance. The tiny green and yellow flowers are a good source of pollen for bees in the spring. In the autumn, the female trees have small purple-black fruit.
Where does it grow?
Common nearly everywhere in New Zealand from sea level to 1000 metres, Griselinia is not, however, found naturally north of the Bay of Islands. It is particularly abundant in the South Island, where it often starts life as an epiphyte, growing on old fallen logs. It can grow in a wide range of soil types and situations and is particularly tolerant of frost and persistent wind. It will not grow so well on very infertile soils, or in prolonged drought conditions. It is useful in coastal situations (littoralis means "shore growing'), and can withstand heavy pruning.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Griselinia will not need to be potted on from the root trainers. Keep the plants trimmed to 30 - 50 cm in height. It is easy to raise Griselinia from seed. The ripe blue-black berries are collected in summer-autumn and should be sown immediately. Semi-hardwood cuttings will also grow quite easily.
Planting out for soil conservation
Because it is so tolerant of strong winds and salt spray, Griselinia is especially useful for planting to provide shelter to minimise coastal wind erosion. It is also useful for revegetating soil erosion scars because it is quick to establish. It will need to be well protected from grazing animals and possoms, which enjoy eating its lush leaves.
Used to ...
Griselinia's red timber is dense, strong and very durable. It has been used for fence posts, house piles and boat building, although the fact that it rarely has a straight length of trunk has frustrated many timber workers. In times of food shortage, early Maori ate the tiny ripe berries, although they taste bitter. The inner bark was used as a remedy for certain types of tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases.
Did you know ... ?
If you come across a mature Griselinia - treat it with respect. It has a life span of at least a hundred years, so it will have seen many changes in the countryside.
Download Griselinia Information Sheet
HOHERE
Maori Name:- Hohere
Common Name:- Lacebark
Botanical Name:- Hoheria populenea
What does it look like?
Hohere is a graceful, upright tree that grows to eleven metres. It has a lot of branches and looks rather like a poplar. The somewhat leathery leaves are 7-12 cm long with serrated edges. The large, scented white star-like flowers smother the trees in late summer/autumn. The name "Lacebark" is derived from the pattern of the bark, which is tough and made up of several layers. The outer layers are pierced by outgrowths from the inner wood which form an attractive lacy pattern.
Where does it grow?
Hohere is found naturally only from North Cape to the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, growing in coastal and lowland forest from sea level up to 450 metres. It tolerates moderate frost, but not prolonged drought, infertile soil or excessive waterlogging.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Trim the tops of the plant in late summer/autumn, as they approach 30 cm in height to prevent them getting leggy.
Planting out for soil conservation
Hohere is very suitable for planting as low tier shelter among taller trees. It is also good for planting along stream and river banks.
Used to ...
The inner bark was an important fibre source for the early Maori, being twisted into rope or beaten into felted bark sheets similar to tapa cloth. Maori made a jelly by soaking the inner bark in cold water and used it both externally for sore and weak eyes, and internally for soothing the digestive system. The wood makes good firewood - and is suitable for paper making.
Did you know ... ?
The Hohere genus (group of species) consists of five species, all of which are confined to New Zealand: lacebarks aren't found anywhere else in the world. Lacebarks are in the Malvaceae family, which includes cotton.
Download Hohere Information Sheet
KANUKA
Maori Name:- Kanuka
Common Name:- Tea Tree
Botanical Name:- Kunzea ericoides
What does it look like?
Kanuka grows into an erect tree of up to 15 metres tall with long strips of loose, papery bark and small leaves that feel silky when young. Clusters of small white flowers appear from September to February.
Where does it grow?
Kanuka is common throughout lowland and mountain scrub and along forest margins in the North and South Islands, from sea level to 900 metres. It grows well on all soil types except water- logged soils, and is tolerant of wind, drought and frost.
Used to ...
Like its relation manuka, kanuka's hard red wood was widely used by Maori for anything from paddles, weapons, spade blades, weeders, bird spears, mauls to house building. The bark was used for making water containers and the inner bark as a waterproof layer for roofing. Kanuka is also a first class firewood and was also used by early settlers for tool handles and fencing.
Like manuka, kanuka oil was used by Maori and is now sold in New Zealand and other countries as Teatree oil for its anti-worm, anti-bacterial and insecticidal properties. Maori also used pounded kanuka seed capsules to make a poultice (dressing) for running sores.
Did you know ... ?
Kanuka looks very similar to manuka, but can grow into a bigger tree. You can tell the difference between them by the leaves - kanuka leaves are much softer to touch and the small white kanuka flowers grow in clusters, not singly, like the manuka. Not affected by the manuka blight, kanuka bark does not have a "sooty" look. Until recently, it was thought that manuka and kanuka were the same genus (group of species), but they are now recognised as belonging to different ones. Kanuka is also found in eastern Australia and its oil is harvested there, too.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Kanuka is easy to grow, but the seedlings may need potting on from the root trainers.
Planting out for soil conservation
Kanuka can be established in a new area by the "seed-bearing slash" method, or pegging down a layer of seed-bearing branches onto the soil. Layers should be 30-40 cm deep and cover the soil enough to provide 80-95% shade. Seedlings will soon germinate within the cover of the slash from the seeds it contains. This method makes kanuka very good for revegetating bare eroded surfaces. Like manuka, kanuka is an important pioneering or colonising native shrub because it prefers direct sunlight, so it provides good shelter for young native trees and acts as a nursery for them.
Downlaod Kanuka Information Sheet
KARO
Maori Name:- Karo
Common Name:- Pittosporum
Botanical Name:- Pittosporum crassifolium
What does it look like?
Karo is a shrub or small tree which grows fairly rapidly up to nine metres tall. It has thick leathery leaves growing rather densely with white undersides and produces sweetly scented red flowers in spring.
Where does it grow?
Karo is naturally coastal and is found along forest margins and streamsides from North Cape to Poverty Bay. It grows best on moist but well drained soils: its is not easy to establish on heavy wet soil. Once established it can tolerate frost and salt laden winds.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Karo plants are susceptible to attack by Pittosporum chemid, an insect which sucks sap, causing loss of vitality and disfigured leaves. This can be controlled by spraying with an insecticide or a mixture of sunlight soap and water. Be sure to spray the underside of the leaf, because this is where the insects attack.
Karo do not need to be potted on from the root trainers. Trim the tops of the plant in late summer/autumn as they approach 30 cm in height. This stops them getting "leggy". Leggy plants do not grow as well as more compact forms when they are planted out, so regular trimming will help them establish. Planting out for soil conservation
Karo is an excellent shelter plant, as it is extremely resistant to wind. it is particularly good near the coast where salt spray makes it hard for other plants to establish.
Used to ...
Although valued as a shelter tree, Karo appears to have had no specific usage by Maori. it is not even particularly good firewood - but is an attractive coloniser.
Did you know ... ?
There are more than 160 species of Pittosporum in the Southern Hemisphere. All of the 26 New Zealand species are grown only in this country and nowhere else in the world. They are some of the most popular native garden plants in the country.
Download Karo Information Sheet
KOWHAI
Maori Name:- Kowhai
Common Name:- Kowhai
Botanical Name:- Sophora microphylla
What does it look like?
Kowhai is famous for its beautiful yellow or golden flowers, which appear in early spring. Their nectar is a favourite food for tui and kereru (wood pigeon). The pods which appear after flowering each contain six or more seeds. Unusually for New Zealand plants, some species of Kowhai are deciduous, losing their tiny, dull green leaves each winter. Some species also pass through a juvenile stage of densely tangled foliage (branches and leaves) for six to ten years before they start to flower, eventually growing into a small tree up to ten metres tall.
Where does it grow?
Kowhai may be known as New Zealand's national flower, but it also grows in Chile and on Gough Island in the South Atlantic. Kowhai is widespread throughout lowland New Zealand, found in open forest and along side rivers and forest edges, up to 800 metres above sea level. It grows well on a range of soils and withstands moderate exposure to wind. Frost hardy (able to withstand frost without harm) when mature, it is easily damaged by frost when young.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Kowhai should be potted on from the root trainers into milk cartons as soon as they are about 20cm tall. They use up mineral fertiliser quickly and a couple of applications of liquid fertiliser during the spring will encourage growth. Kowhai is usually grown from seeds, which germinate better if scarified (scratched) or put in boiling water to soften the hard seed coat. Kowhai can also be grown from cuttings. Kowhai are frost tender, so plant out seedlings or cuttings in their second year when they are 30 cm or more in height.
Planting out for soil conservation
Kowhai is good for controlling stream bank erosion, so plant on stream edges where erosion control is needed. Kowhai is also good for planting at the edge of bush, because it prefers open areas, good sunlight and damp conditions.
Used to ...
Maori used kowhai's attractive, hard and durable wood for paddles and adzes. They made poultices for the bark and applied them to wounds and tumours, and infusion (tea) of the bark to treat internal pains, bruises and broken limbs and wood ash of the tree to treat ringworm. The kowhai's flowering in early spring told Maori it was time to plant kumara.
Did you know ... ?
New Zealand has three common kowhai species and different varieties of each species come from different parts of the country. To avoid "genetic pollution" - mixing genes between the different species and varieties - only seeds taken from kowhai naturally growing in an area should be planted out there. This is called "eco-sourcing".
Download Kowhai Information Sheet
MAHOE
Maori Name:- Mahoe
Common Name:- Whiteywood
Botanical Name:- Melicytus ramiflorus
What does it look like?
Mahoe is best identified by the smooth, pale bark and branches that are often covered in patches of white lichen - hence the name 'Whiteywood'. It grows into a large shrub or spreading tree up to 10 metres high, with many branches from the trunk. The bright green leaves are up to 15cm long, and 5 cm wide, with serrated edges. The tiny greenish-yellow flowers found in early summer are beautifully scented, and grow out straight from the branches. In autumn the branches of female trees bear masses of small purple berries, provided there is a male tree close by.
Where does it grow?
Mahoe is common throughout New Zealand from sea level to mountain forests. It is usually found in open areas, on the edge of forest, in gullies and streamside areas. It grows best in well drained and reasonably fertile soils, and prefers a moist climate. Although it can tolerate exposed sites, it will become very misshapen by strong winds. Mahoe can't tolerate heavy frosts, but it will recover from mild frost damage.
Mahoe is not only found in New Zealand, but also on Norfolk, Tonga and the Fiji Islands.
Growing tips - in your plant growing unit
Keep the Mahoe well watered, and trim the tops of the plants in late summer / autumn to keep to 30 cm growth. Leggy plants do not grow as well as more compact forms, so regular trimming will help them establish.
Planting out for soil conservation
Mahoe is not well suited to planting on fresh erosion scars, as it does not do well on infertile soils. It is best suited to riparian planting - along streams to prevent stream bank erosion and to shade the stream and improve water quality. But it must be planted far enough back from the stream to be in well drained soil - and far enough away from the fence so that stock won't eat the highly palatable leaves.
Used to ...
The main use of the Mahoe to the early Maori was in the friction method of fire lighting. A slab of soft Mahoe was one of the best woods for scraping with a pointed stick of the harder Totara or kaikomako to make a flame. The timber itself is brittle and useful only as firewood. Early Pakeha burned Mahoe to produce charcoal to make certain kinds of gunpowder.
Did you know ... ?
We can learn a lot about the plants from their name - especially if we understand latin! Although the flowers of the Mahoe smell beautiful, they do not have any nectar. Hence the 'Melicytus' in the name, which literally means 'no honey'.
Download Mahoe Information Sheet
MAPOU
Maori Name:- Mapou
Common Name:- Mapou
Botanical Name:- Myrsine australis
What does it look like?
Mapou is a quick growing shrub or small tree that grows up to six metres high. The tough, reddish green leaves are 2 to 5 cm long with distinct wavy edges. While the bark on a mature trunk is gray, the young branchlets and branches are distinctly red in colour.
Where does it grow?
Mapou is found from sea level to 900 metres throughout both the North Island and South Island. It is common along forest margins and in scrubland. It can not tolerate waterlogged soils for long periods of time, nor severe drought conditions.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Mapou grows easily from seed. Trim the tops of the plant in late summer/autumn as they approach 30cm in height, to prevent them getting leggy.
Planting out for soil conservation
Because mapou is hardy and very resistant to wind, it is a good shelter plant. It is also a good primary colonising plant on bare sites - it is able to get itself established and provide shelter for more sensitive plants put in later on.
Used to ...
Maori boiled mapou leaves to make an infusion (tea) for toothache. They also used the leaves as relief for arthritic problems, as a remedy for skin disease, intestinal worms and as a general tonic. The branch wood was used for digging sticks and adze handle sockets. In European times the hard timber has been used for building, although its most popular use has probably been for firewood.
Did you know ... ?
Mapou produce very small black fruits in summer (popular with birds) which grow directly on the stem of the plant, not in the usual place at the end of branches and twigs.
Download Mapou Information Sheet
POHUTUKAWA
Maori Name:- Pohutukawa
Common Name:- Pohutukawa (NZ Christmas Tree)
Botanical Name:- Metrosideros excelsa
What does it look like?
The magnificent pohutukawa is well known for its spreading shape and beautiful red flowers in December and January. The flowers appear to be composed only of stamens, giving them their distinctive brush-like look. Slow growing, pohutukawa eventually reach 15-20 metres in height.
Short trunks to 2 metres in diameter often have thick, twisted roots looking more like branches helping it cling to coastal cliffs. Pohutukawa are very long lived, with leaves that are a dark greenish blue on top and white underneath. Whitish seed capsules follow the flowers and open around May to release multitudes of thin, brown seeds.
Where does it grow?
Pohutukawa is abundant in coastal forest and along coastlines of warmer parts of the North Island north of Taranaki and Poverty Bay. It will grow in almost any well drained soil, but not waterlogged ones. Seedlings under two years old are very frost tender. Pohutukawa thrive near the sea, easily withstanding strong wind, salt spray and drought.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Scale insect may attack pohutukawa, causing "bubbling" of the leaves. Spray with an insecticide - either chemical or organic spray preparations are available. Because they are frost tender when young, they shouldn't be planted out for 2 years, so you will need to pot them into bigger containers (for example empty milk cartons) after a year.
Planting out for soil conservation
Pohutukawa provide excellent shelter and erosion control in coastal areas. Unfortunately, possums love pohutukawa, eating mature leaves in winter and new young leaves in spring, eventually killing the tree. Possum control in replanted areas is a must. The Project Crimson Trust has been set up to save the pohutukawa.
Used to ...
Pohutukawa's scientific name, Metrosideros, is derived from the Greek words metro, meaning middle and sideros meaning iron, referring to the hardness of its dark red heart wood. It was traditionally used for paddles, weapons, digging sticks and spade blades. Early European bushmen made an infusion (tea) from the inner layers of the bark to cure dysentery and diarrhoea. The nectar was collected for food and to treat sore throats.
Did you know ... ?
The biggest pohutukawa in New Zealand is called Te Waha o Rerekohu. It grows at Te Araroa in the grounds of Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School, is 19.8 metres tall with its branches spreading over 38 metres and is reputed to be over 300 years old. Another pohutukawa at the tip of Cape Reinga is reputed to have been there for more than 800 years and is sacred to the Maori people as the departure point of the spirit from this world.
Download Pohutukawa Information Sheet
Link to Project Crimson website
TEA TREE
Maori Name:- Manuka
Common Name:- Tea Tree
Botanical Name:- Leptospermum scoparium
What does it look like?
Manuka grows into a shrub or small tree, varying in height up to 8 metres. The narrow, pointy leaves are prickly and have a nice, sharp perfume when crushed. The brownish bark sits loosely on the trunk and branches in long strips. Manuka has single small white flowers which generally bloom in spring and summer. The seed capsules are brown and woody - the seed ripens by late autumn, but stays in the hard capsules until well into the following summer.
Where does it grow?
Manuka is common throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands, in lowland to low alpine regions up to 1400 metres above sea level. It can be found in many different habitats (places to live) including wetlands, river gravels and dry hillsides. When mature, it is very tolerant of drought, waterlogging, strong winds and frost.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Though hardy, manuka doesn't like to have its growth checked - so never trim or prune it - you will seriously set back its growth. Seedlings may need potting on from the root trainers into milk cartons.
Planting out for soil conservation
Manuka is a very important pioneering plant: its growth is the first stage towards the growth of a new native forest. By creating shade and shelter from the wind, it provides an excellent nursery for many young native plants to grow up in. Then, as they get taller and overtop it, the manuka dies away as a result of being shaded. It is excellent for revegetating bare, eroded slopes and can grow on poorer, colder, wetter and more acidic sites than kanuka. Another advantage of planting manuka for soil conservation is that browsing animals like sheep, cattle and goats don't often eat it.
Used to ...
Manuka's hard red wood was widely used by Maori for everything from paddles, weapons, spade blades, weeders, bird spears and mauls to house building. The bark was used for making water containers and the inner bark as a waterproof layer for roofing. Manuka is a first class firewood and was also used by early settlers for tool handles and fencing. Captain Cook and early settlers used the green leaves to make a reasonable substitute for tea (and beer) - hence the name "Teatree". Produced mostly on East Cape, Manuka oil has anti-worm, anti-bacterial and insecticidal properties and is sold in New Zealand and many other countries. Manuka honey is a very old remedy for bacterial infections and is a very popular honey.
Did you know ... ?
Manuka is affected by Manuka 'blight', which can eventually kill it. The blight looks like black soot on the bark. Kanuka is often confused with manuka, but doesn't get blight and has softer leaves.
Download Manuka Information Sheet
TOETOE
Maori Name:- Toetoe
Common Name:- Toetoe
Botanical Name:- Cortaderia spp.
What does it look like?
Toetoe is New Zealand's largest native grass, growing in clumps up to 3m in height. Toetoe is often called 'cutty grass' by children, because of the many fine, sharp teeth along the edges of the leaves, which are 3-5 cm wide. The flowers are white, feathery arching plumes that grow up to 6m high. Toetoe is generally seen growing in groups of 5 or 6 clumps.
Where does it grow?
There are 4 species of toetoe which, between them cover all of New Zealand. C. fulvida is found throughout the North Island, C. richardii is found throughout the South Island, C. splendens grows on sand dunes and cliff faces north of Kawhia and the Bay of Plenty, and C. toetoe is seen in the North Island, south of Auckland.
While generally classed as a coastal plant, toetoe will grow from sea level to an altitude of 600 metres or so, generally on the edges of swamps or stream banks. It will grow in damp or dry soils, and tolerates strong winds and salt. Nowadays it is most commonly seen on sand dunes and roadsides, although it is sometimes confused with the introduced pampas grass.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Take care in the Plant Growing Unit that the rough edged leaves of the plant as it gets older don't damage the foliage of more tender neighbouring plants.
Planting out for soil conservation
Toetoe are great for use in revegetating slips, earthworks and other freshly exposed soil in moist habitats throughout their respective ranges. They can be used to provide shelter in exposed conditions, to minimise stream bank erosion, and can be planted to help maintain the stability of sand dunes.
Used to ...
Maori used the toetoe leaves to make baskets, kites, mats, wall linings and roof thatching. It was also used to make containers to cook food in hot springs. The flower stalks were also useful - as frames for kites, and in tukutuku paneling. The seed heads themselves were used on fresh wounds to stop bleeding. Other medicinal uses included treatment of diarrhoea, kidney complaints, and burns. Early Pakeha settlers also used the toetoe to thatch their house roof - although this wasn't recommended for town houses because of the fire hazard! Today the feathery plumes are often found decorating a lounge or entrance hallway.
Did you know ... ?
Do not confuse toetoe with the introduced species of pampas grass, which is a trouble-some weed in many places. Our native toetoe grasses flower in spring and summer while the pampas flowers in the autumn. Pampas also has tightly curled dead leaves at its base, and the leaves snap readily when given a sharp tug (toetoe leaves do not).
Download Toetoe Information Sheet
TOTARA
Maori Name:- Totara
Common Name:- Totara
Botanical Name:- Podocarpus totara
What does it look like?
The Totara is one of the majestic forest canopy trees. A mature Totara tree reaches up to 30 metre, although this takes over 100 years. The leaves are 2.5 cm long, narrow at both ends and are dull brownish-green. They are stiff and prickly to touch. Totara is also recognized by the distinctive bark, which flakes off in thick brown slabs. Like all podcarps, Totara trees have cones - male and female cones grow on separate trees. In autumn the female trees produce tiny green seeds which grow on top of the distinctive juicy red base. This is particularly attractive to birds.
Where does it grow?
The Totara is found in forests in both the North and South Islands, although it is most common in the northern half of the North Island. In mountain areas above 600 metres, Totara is replaced by the closely related thin barked Totara. The Totara is a particularly hardy tree and will grow in almost any soil and situation. It is tolerant of both wet and dry conditions, and can withstand windy sites. Totara is a common sight in paddocks in Northland, where it survives because stock don't like to eat the prickly leaves.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
It is likely that Totara seedlings will need to be grown on in the Plant Growing Units for two years, as they should be planted out when they reach 60cm in height to ensure they suffer less from weed and grass competition. Totara will respond well to some fertiliser application, although remember that we want to encourage root growth, rather than lush leaves.
Planting out for soil conservation
Given its hardy nature, the Totara is a useful species to plant when revegetating an eroded area with native plants. However, remember that the tree will eventually grow very large, and make sure that the tree isn't going to eventually become a nuisance. For example if it were planted perched on the edge of a stream bank or steep bank it may topple over and cause further erosion.
Used to ...
With its ability to withstand wind and tolerate trimming, Totara is very suitable for shelter belts, especially if planted with a faster growing, but shorter lived species.
Did you know ... ?
The huge Maori waka taua, capable of carrying 100 warriors, were often hollowed out from a single Totara log. Often the tree was chosen long before it was felled, and the east side of the
trunk cut at the base to make it easier to cut the tree down in the future. The Maori also used the wood for large carving and framing for whare. The inner bark was used for roofing and for storage containers - the outer bark as a splint for fractured bones. A pointed Totara stick could be scraped on a slab of softer wood such as mahoe to make fire. Medicinally, the smoke was a cure for a skin complaint, and boiled bark was used to reduce a fever. A valued food, the Maori collected the bright red fruit, which are sweet and juicy with a slightly piney flavour. Since European times, huge areas of Totara have been felled to supply general building timber, railway sleepers, telephone poles etc.
After the Kauri, the Totara may be the longest living tree in the NZ forest - attaining an age of 1000 and more years. The botanical name, Podocarpus totara, is an example of blending the old Latin names - Podocarpus - for the genus, with the maori - Totara - for the species.
Download Totara Information Sheet
WINEBERRY
Maori Name:- Makomako
Common Name:- Wineberry
Botanical Name:- Aristotelia serrata
What does it look like?
Makomako is a small tree that grows up to 10 metres in height with broad, pale green leaves with serrated edges. The leaves come in opposite pairs from the branchlets, and are tinted purple on the under side. Makomako produce lots of flowers in October and November, which vary in colour from pale pink to deep red. Provided both male and female trees are grown, the flowers will be followed by berries, which also range in colour, from red to black. When it grows in cold districts Makomako is usually deciduous, but trees in warmer areas will hold some leaves.
Where does it grow?
Makomako grows well throughout all of New Zealand, from sea level to 1050 metres. It often occurs on the edge of the forest and other places where there is plenty of light, and is usually one of the first trees to grow after slips or fire have cleared an area of bush. It will grow well in most soils, except those that are very poorly drained, or particularly drought prone. It doesn't grow well in very dry areas, and is frost prone when young.
Growing tips ... in your plant growing unit
Don't forget to trim the tops of the plants in late summer / autumn as they get to 30 cm in height to prevent them from getting too leggy. Leggy plants don't grow as well as more compact ones once they are planted out. Makomako will grow easily from cuttings, and will transplant well.
Planting out for soil conservation
Makomako is mainly a colonising species in secondary successions. It is a good plant to use for planting for gully erosion control and slip-face revegetation, and is useful to provide early shelter for other plants to grow. Because it is palatable to possoms and stock, care must be taken when planting out to keep sheep and cattle away, and possoms in the area must be controlled.
Makomako is not a long-lived species and will usually die out after 10-15 years. This will allow the natural succession of other bush species to grow, provided there is a seed source present.
Used to ...
The fruit of the makomako were eaten raw by the Maori, and made into a jam by the later European settlers. They also used the fruit to make wine (as the European name suggests). Makomako also had quite a few medicinal qualities and was used by the Maori for burns, boils, sore eyes and rheumatic pains.
The early settlers burned the wood to get charcoal to make gunpowder.
Did you know ... ?
Makomako is a good tree to plant to provide food and protection for many of New Zealand's native creatures. Both the tui and silvereye enjoy the fruit form the Makomako, and the kereru or wood pigeon eat both the fruit and the leaves. In the North Island, the holes commonly seen in the trunk of Makomako are likely to be larval tunnels of the large puriri moth.
Download Wineberry Information Sheet
PRIMARY SCHOOL RESOURCE
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SECONDARY SCHOOL RESOURCE
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