Botanical name:

Lepidothamnus intermedius

Common name(s):

Yellow silver pine

About:

A small tree found in swampy forest regions, it has a scattered presence across the North Island but is more prevalent along the west coast of the South Island and on Stewart Island. It grows slowly, reaching heights of approximately 15 m, and features a spreading crown. The leaves transition through juvenile, semi-adult, and adult stages, initially appearing needle-like and later becoming compressed in adulthood. Its bark displays a mottled pattern in shades of brown and grey. The wood is a reddish-yellow hue, highly resinous, and notably flammable, yet it remains strong and durable. Historically, it was utilised for making railway sleepers, constructing boats, and for telegraph poles. L. intermedius thrives in damp garden locations and benefits from some shelter.

Natural habitat:

Lowland, montane and sub-alpine forests, often in bog forests

Growing environment:

Frost, Shade, Wetland & Wind tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

A scattered distribution in the North Island but more common on the South Island’s west coast and Stewart Island of New Zealand.

Height: 15m

Fruiting/Flowering:

Male pollen cones are abundant, ripe by late April and pollinate in early June. The the ovule of the female appears in April among the leaves at the tip of the branchlet, maturing over the next sixteen to eighteen months, creating a  a single black seed with a slightly fleshy epimatium cupping the base of the seed.

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bee food, Riparian plantings, Forests, Timber & Wetland’s

How to grow:

Grown from fresh seed & cuttings. Some success has been achieved using a layering technique as well.

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