Botanical name:

Laurelia novae zelandiae

Common name(s):

Pukatea

About:

Pukatea is one of our most common native trees, being well adapted for survival in damp and waterlogged soils throughout the North Island and in Nelson in the south, characterised by its wide buttressed trunks and distinctive breathing roots, known as pneumatophores. This resilient tree will also thrive on hillsides as long as there is sufficient moisture present in the soil. Seedlings of the Pukatea cope very effectively with the shade created by their parent trees and will, over time, come to dominate areas of forest where the seedlings of other tree species are gradually shaded out and unable to flourish.

Natural habitat:

Lowland semi-swamp forest and gully forest.

Growing environment:

Wetland tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

North and South Islands of NZ – Northland to Marlborough and Westland

Height: 35m

Flowering: 

(September) October – December with a green or white coloured flower/s

Fruiting:

October – January with a dry fruit and covered in long hairs.

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bee food, Flowers & Riparian plantings.

How to grow:

Easily grown from fresh seed. Press the seeds into a firm bed of seed raising mix, cover lightly with mix and water well. Seed can take several months to germinate over the winter and the success rate can be variable.

** Seed germinates without pre treatment. 4 weeks cold stratification will help speed this up though