From beach, to forest, to mountain top, New Zealand has a wide variety of weather conditions within it's three main islands, making a diverse plant life. Many of the better known native plants have been bred to improve growth, flower and/or durability. From the beautiful pohutukawa, pronounced po-hoo-two-car-wah to the giant leaves of the Puka. Add a touch of "down under" to the garden.
Native New Zealand Trees
Cordyline Australis ( Cabbage Tree)
Maori name: Ti Kouka
Height: 8 metres x Width 3 metres
Full sun/semi shade
Tolerates wet and dry conditions
The common green species forms a long slender trunk with a mop top of long green sword like leaves, making it an ideal structural plant for the garden. This growth habit takes up little space so making it a good choice for small gardens. In late spring to summer the mature plant produces sprays of small scented white flowers.
The many cultivars of this species give a great choice of leaf colour and size. There is "Albertii", cream striped, "Sundance", green and bronze " and the chocolate bronze coloured, "Purple Tower". Most of the cultivars are suited to growing in pots, perfect for the patio garden.
Dicksonia Fibrosa ( tree fern)
Maori name: Wheki-Ponga
Height: 2 - 6 metres
Shade but will grow in full sun also
Tolerant of dry conditions once established
Frost hardy
This tree fern has ferny leaves atop a rough fibrous trunk when older.As the fronds die they hang down around the trunk like a skirt. This protects the fibrous trunk from drying out and should not be removed. The bronze dead skirt gives an interesting effect. Tree ferns add a subtropical look to any garden. Young plants can be tricky to get growing in the garden but are well worth the effort.
There is another tree fern, Dicksonia squarossa, (Wheki) which is easier to grow. The fronds are dark green above and paler underneath and the trunk is slender, dead leaves fall off. It will tolerate wet, dry and windy conditions.
Meryta Sinclairii
Maori name: Puka ( Pukapuka meaning "book" in relation to the very large leaves)
Height: 5 metres x Width 4 metres
Sun or semi shade
Coastal tolerant
Frost tender. Protect from wind.
This small tree hails from three Kings Island and the Hen and Chicken Islands. It is very tropical in appearance with large glossy green leaves, about 30cm long. The leaves are leathery and can be heard rattling in the breeze. It is a perfect feature tree in any garden.
There are some varieties with variegated foliage. All prefer warm sheltered gardens.
Metrosideros Excelsa ( New Zealand Christmas tree)
Maori name: Pohutukawa
Height: 6-15 metres
Full sun/partial shade
Coastal plant
Frost tender
The beautiful Red Pohutukawa flowers herald the start of summer in New Zealand and are known as the New Zealand Christmas tree. The tree has elliptical olive green leaves with white downey undersides. The flowers are erect whorls of wiry deep red stamens. Very old Pohutukawa send down amazing aerial roots.
There are now many different cultivars available from medium trees, small shrubs, to minature bushes only growing 60cm high,some flowering in winter. They are ideal for a pot cultivation.
Sophora Microphylla
Maori name: Kowhai
Height: 8 metres x width 5 metres
Full sun/semi shade. Will tolerate shade
Hardy
This beautiful yellow flowering tree is one of the few decidious New Zealand trees and has a yellowish coloured trunk. The leaves are bipinuate. It is a small tree which flowers in spring with racemes of yellow bell shaped flowers hanging downwards,loved by the native birds. In New
Zealand the plant can be decimated by the kowhai tree catepillar. Watch out for borer which also love this tree.
There are some other cultivars of the Kowhai. There is one with twisted branches and some smaller varieties.
Where to find New Zealand Native Plant Nurseries Outside New Zealand
There seem to be few nurseries supplying native New Zealand Trees in the United States but in the United Kingdom there has been a growing interest, in part due to the success of New Zealand landscape designers at the Chelsea flower show over several years.
Another option is to purchase seeds. The seed site below also gives advice on propagation
http://www.hardyexotics.co.uk/
http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/
http://www.nzseeds.co.nz/
New Zealand native trees will give an exotic air to gardens outside of the country. They are mostly adaptable to many different situations and some can even be grown in pots so that they can be brought inside during winter in very cold climates.
Sources
Hallinan, Lynda. (2004) New Zealand Garden in Style. New Zealand: Random House, Print
Bryant, Geoff. (1994) The Ultimate New Zealand Gardening Book. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd, Print
Sally Putan - Sally was born 1957, in Wellington, New Zealand. She completed her study as an Occupational Therapist in 1980 and worked in New Zealand ...
