My List
4 favourites found.Chamaecytisus palmensis (Tree Lucerne, Tagasaste)
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Tree Lucerne is a small, fast-growing tree, great for stock fodder, firewood or shelter. Attracts wood pigeons during winter and spring when it's in flower as well as bees attracted by the flowers too. It's also nitrogen fixing, drought tolerant and controls erosion with its deep roots. One of the best trees to attract tui and other native birds to your garden. Nurse crop for natives. Withstands drought/wind. Evergreen. Frost tender when young.
Habitat: Dry places, river beds, coastal sites, hillsides.
Flowering: Winter - Spring [May - October]
Fruiting:
My Lists: Winter Pollen, Drought Tolerant
NOTE: Taking orders now for spring delivery (tube stock @ $5 each)
Fuchsia excorticata (Kotukutuku, Tree Fuchsia)
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Fuchsia excorticata, also known as Kotukutuku, Tree Fuchsia, and New Zealand Fuchsia. Native to New Zealand and considered to be the worlds largest fuchsia. Attractive, small flowers begin to appear in mid spring. They are greenish-yellow then turn purple-red. followed by dark purple berries that are edible and tasting similar to tamarillo. It is easily recognised in its native environment by the characteristic appearance of its bark, which peels spontaneously, hanging in red papery strips to show a pale bark underneath. Plant in full sun or partial shade, hardy, semi-deciduous to deciduous.
Kōtukutuku is also a favoured food for bees. Other native trees that provide excellent food for honey bees and our own native bees (Leioproctus, Lasioglossum, and Hylaeus genera), are Psuedopanax arboreus, Cordyline australis, Schefflera digitata, Kunzea, and Pittosporum tenuifolium.
Habitat: Found in lowland and montane forests, especially along forest margins and streamsides where the soil is damp.
Flowering: Winter - Spring - Summer [June - January]
Fruiting: Summer [December - March]
My Lists: Low Flammability Plants, Rongoa, Winter Pollen
Pseudopanax arboreus (Whauwhaupaku, Fivefinger)
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Pseudopanax arboreus, commonly called Fivefinger, is one of New Zealand's most common native trees found from Cape Reinga to Bluff in lowland forests. Its particular form of a glossy, five to seven fingered leaf along with quick and luxuriant growth. It grows into a small stout tree up to 5 metres high and grows well in most soils and situations. Fast growing with small purplish black berries in autumn.
History of use: New Zealand Beekeepers Magazine rates Pseudopanax arboreus as a star performer for food for bees. The trees provide abundant pollen and copious, rich nectar very early in the season when few other species are in flower (from June to August). Plant in good numbers clustered together to amplify the availability of flowers for bee feed. Bees love the small scented green flowers that are followed by bunches of dark purple fruits enjoyed by birds from August to February. Flower buds can be easily mistaken for ripe fruit whereas clusters of fruit are actually ripe one year after flowering.
Habitat: Coastal to montane. Moist broadleaf forest. Frequently epiphytic. A frequent component of secondary forest and forest margins. Tolerant of moderate frosts and coastal conditions but should be sheltered from strong winds.
Flowering: Winter [June - August]
Fruiting: Spring - Summer [August - February]
My Lists: Low Flammability Plants, Rongoa, Winter Pollen
Sophora microphylla (South Island Kowhai)
Sophora microphylla is also known as South Island Kōwhai, having showy yellow flowers in early spring. This particular Kōwhai has very small leaves (microphylla) and a tangled juvenile form, tending to straighten up and grow from an upright trunk at about four years. Kōwhai makes a good garden tree and is necessary for revegetation projects as a bird attractor. Kōwhai are suited to upper bank plantings of riparian areas. They also make beautiful shade or specimen trees. Semi-deciduous. Hardy.
Sophora microphylla have horn-shaped yellow flowers. The nectar is a favourite food for Tui, Bellbird and Kererū which also eat the leaves. The seed pods which appear after flowering stay hanging on the tree through winter.
Kōwhai is the national flower of New Zealand.
Habitat: In the North Island, especially the northern half this is a species of mainly riparian forest. South of Hamilton it can be found in a diverse range of habitats from coastal cliff faces and associated wetlands to inland grey scrub communities. Sophora microphylla and Sophora prostrata are the only forms naturally existing in Canterbury.
Flowering: Winter [August - October]
Fruiting: Spring - Summer [October - May]
My Lists: Low Flammability Plants, Rongoa, Winter Pollen