A fast-growing and highly adaptable New Zealand native shrub, widely valued for restoration planting, shelterbelts, and wildlife habitat. Karamū produces abundant clusters of bright red berries that are eagerly eaten by native birds and is renowned for its ability to establish quickly and outcompete invasive weeds such as gorse.
🌱 Plant Facts
• Growth habit: Large evergreen shrub or small tree
• Foliage: Glossy green leaves in opposite pairs
• Leaves: 7–12 cm long with a raised midrib beneath, a groove above, and a distinctive dark-tipped flap between each leaf pair
• Flowers: Small green to white flowers
• Fruit: Bright red to orange berries borne in dense clusters along the stems
• Height: Up to 6 m
🌍 Natural Habitat
• Coastal, lowland and lower montane habitats
• Shrublands
• Forest margins and open forest
• Regenerating native bush
🌿 Growing Environment
• Full sun to shade
• Drought tolerant once established
• Wind tolerant
• Coastal tolerant
• Salt tolerant
• Free-draining soils
A remarkably hardy species that establishes rapidly in a wide range of conditions. Performs well in both exposed and sheltered sites and is particularly useful for revegetation and shelter planting.
📍 Endemic Distribution
• Endemic to New Zealand
• Naturally found throughout the North and South Islands
• Naturalised within a small area of the Chatham Islands between Waitangi and Owenga
🌾 Uses
• Native bird food and attractant
• Bee food
• Hedging and screening
• Riparian plantings
• Pioneer plantings
• Shelterbelts
• Native forest restoration
🪴 Cultivation Notes (Live Plant)
One of New Zealand’s easiest native shrubs to establish. Fast growing and highly adaptable, it thrives in most soils and quickly provides shelter and habitat for wildlife. Its prolific berry production makes it especially valuable for attracting native birds. Karamū also competes well with gorse and is widely used in ecological restoration projects. As it can self-seed readily, occasional management may be required in smaller gardens.
📏 Approximate product size:
• PB3/4 (5–20 cm, 350 ml)
• PB3 (20–70 cm, 1.5 L)
• PB8 (50 cm+, 3.5 L)
• PB18 (1 m+, 8.5 L)
• PB40 (2 m+, 18.5 L)
⏱️ Timeframe:
We ship Monday – Wednesday for South Island customers and Monday/Tuesday for Rural and North Island customers. Orders placed outside these days will be fulfilled the following week.
📦 Local pick ups and/or deliveries will be made by arrangement.
🌱 We’ll donate $1 per plant sold to national conservation efforts, helping to protect and restore New Zealand’s natural heritage.
A fast-growing and highly adaptable New Zealand native shrub, widely valued for restoration planting, shelterbelts, and wildlife habitat. Karamū produces abundant clusters of bright red berries that are eagerly eaten by native birds and is renowned for its ability to establish quickly and outcompete invasive weeds such as gorse.
🌱 Plant Facts
• Growth habit: Large evergreen shrub or small tree
• Foliage: Glossy green leaves in opposite pairs
• Leaves: 7–12 cm long with a raised midrib beneath, a groove above, and a distinctive dark-tipped flap between each leaf pair
• Flowers: Small green to white flowers
• Fruit: Bright red to orange berries borne in dense clusters along the stems
• Height: Up to 6 m
🌍 Natural Habitat
• Coastal, lowland and lower montane habitats
• Shrublands
• Forest margins and open forest
• Regenerating native bush
🌿 Growing Environment
• Full sun to shade
• Drought tolerant once established
• Wind tolerant
• Coastal tolerant
• Salt tolerant
• Free-draining soils
A remarkably hardy species that establishes rapidly in a wide range of conditions. Performs well in both exposed and sheltered sites and is particularly useful for revegetation and shelter planting.
📍 Endemic Distribution
• Endemic to New Zealand
• Naturally found throughout the North and South Islands
• Naturalised within a small area of the Chatham Islands between Waitangi and Owenga
🌾 Uses
• Native bird food and attractant
• Bee food
• Hedging and screening
• Riparian plantings
• Pioneer plantings
• Shelterbelts
• Native forest restoration
🪴 Cultivation Notes (Live Plant)
One of New Zealand’s easiest native shrubs to establish. Fast growing and highly adaptable, it thrives in most soils and quickly provides shelter and habitat for wildlife. Its prolific berry production makes it especially valuable for attracting native birds. Karamū also competes well with gorse and is widely used in ecological restoration projects. As it can self-seed readily, occasional management may be required in smaller gardens.
📏 Approximate product size:
• PB3/4 (5–20 cm, 350 ml)
• PB3 (20–70 cm, 1.5 L)
• PB8 (50 cm+, 3.5 L)
• PB18 (1 m+, 8.5 L)
• PB40 (2 m+, 18.5 L)
⏱️ Timeframe:
We ship Monday – Wednesday for South Island customers and Monday/Tuesday for Rural and North Island customers. Orders placed outside these days will be fulfilled the following week.
📦 Local pick ups and/or deliveries will be made by arrangement.
🌱 We’ll donate $1 per plant sold to national conservation efforts, helping to protect and restore New Zealand’s natural heritage.
