Botanical name:

Prumnopitys ferruginea

Common name(s):

Brown Pine, Miro, Podocarpus ferrugineus

About:

Miro grows to form a round-headed forest tree that can reach impressive heights. It is very similar to Matai and is commonly found naturally occurring in lush lowland forests alongside Matiai. The seeds of the Miro tree are notoriously slow to germinate; even after undergoing long periods of cold stratification, the germination process can take an extended duration of 2 to 3 years. This tree produces bright, right red succulent fruit that is highly attractive to various bird species, while also boasting valuable strong timber that is both dense and straight-grained. In addition to its practical uses, Miro has attractive green foliage, and its bark is greyish-brown, falling off in thick, characteristic flakes. Interestingly, it can also be trimmed and shaped into a decorative hedge, adding aesthetic appeal to landscaped areas.

Natural habitat:

Common tree of lowland to montane forest, though becoming less common due to low numbers of birds large enough to distribute the seed.

Growing environment:

Frost & sun resistant.

Endemic distribution: North, South and Stewart Islands.

Height: 30m

Flowering: June - August – October without a visible flower/s

Fruiting: Fruits take 12-18 months to mature. Ripe fruits are mainly found from November - April

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bee food, Hedging, Riparian plantings, Forests & timber.

How to grow: Easily grown from fresh seed. Seed may take up to 2 years to germinate. Can be grown from hard-wood cuttings but rather slow to strike.

** Seed requires 4 to 6 weeks cold stratification minimum or even double stratification.