Botanical name:

Beilschmiedia tarairi

Common name(s):

Taraire

About:

A prevalent canopy tree found in the northern North Island features large, leathery leaves that are oval in shape and silvery on the underside, with curved margins. The twigs and young leaves are adorned with reddish down. The flowers are relatively inconspicuous. Its fruit is notably large, dark purple, and glossy, carried upright, containing a single large elliptical seed characterised by a network of veins on its papery surface.

Natural habitat:

A common canopy forming tree in lowland and lower montane forests north of Auckland. Often associated with kauri (Agathis australis), pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), and on basalt rocks and soils puriri (Vitex lucens).

Growing environment:

Frost, Sun & Wetland tolerant

Endemic distribution:

Confined to the North Island where it most common north of Auckland and Thames. However it also occurs in scattered pockets in the west south of Port Waikato to the Kawhia Harbour, inland at Pukemokemoke (near Tauhei), and in the east it occurs very locally from the eastern end of Papatea Bay to East Cape.

Height: 25m

Flowering:

(September-) November (-December) with a brown or green coloured flower/s

Fruiting:

March - November

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant & Forests.

How to grow:

Easily grown from fresh seed.Better germination can be achieved if the flesh surrounding the seed is cleaned off.

** Seed germinates without pre treatment. Sow seed direct & keep moist until germination is complete.

**The seeds are also perishable and cannot be stored