New Zealand’s only native palm and one of our most distinctive forest plants, Nīkau brings an unmistakable subtropical character to native gardens. With its elegant ringed trunk, lush crown of sweeping fronds, pinkish flowers, and brilliant red fruit, it makes a spectacular long-lived specimen for sheltered gardens, woodland plantings, and large containers.
🌱 Plant Facts
• Growth habit: Slow-growing evergreen palm
• Distinctive feature: New Zealand’s only native palm and the world’s southernmost naturally occurring palm species
• Trunk: Slender, prominently ringed trunk topped by a smooth green crownshaft
• Foliage: Large, graceful green fronds forming an attractive crown
• Flowers: Pinkish to mauve flowers produced on multiple branching spikes beneath the crown
• Flowering: November–April
• Fruit: Rounded fruit ripening to bright red
• Fruiting: February–November
• Height: Up to 15 m
🌍 Natural Habitat
• Coastal and lowland native forest
• Damp forested gullies
• Sheltered valleys
• Forest margins
• Particularly associated with warmer and relatively moist parts of New Zealand
🌿 Growing Environment
• Partial shade to filtered sun
• Sheltered conditions preferred
• Coastal tolerant
• Salt tolerant
• Moist, free-draining soils
• Suitable for container growing while young
Nīkau performs best in a sheltered position protected from strong winds. Young plants naturally thrive beneath a forest canopy, and protection from exposure helps maintain healthy, lush fronds. Windy sites can cause browning and damage to the frond tips.
📍 Endemic Distribution
• Endemic to New Zealand
• Naturally widespread through the North Island
• In the South Island it occurs from Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds south to around Ōkārito in the west and Banks Peninsula in the east
• Also naturally present on the Chatham and Pitt Islands, where distinctive forms occur
🌾 Uses
• Native bird food and attractant
• Bee and pollinator food
• Native forest planting
• Woodland and understory gardens
• Feature and specimen palm
• Large container planting
• Coastal gardens in sheltered positions
• Biodiversity planting
🪴 Cultivation Notes (Live Plant)
Nīkau is slow-growing but exceptionally rewarding when given the right position. Plant in moist, fertile, free-draining soil with shelter from strong winds, particularly while young. Partial shade or filtered light closely replicates its natural forest environment and helps protect the foliage. Once established, plants are surprisingly hardy. Nīkau also performs exceptionally well as a container specimen when young, but care should be taken when transplanting to minimise root disturbance.
📏 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.
New Zealand’s only native palm and one of our most distinctive forest plants, Nīkau brings an unmistakable subtropical character to native gardens. With its elegant ringed trunk, lush crown of sweeping fronds, pinkish flowers, and brilliant red fruit, it makes a spectacular long-lived specimen for sheltered gardens, woodland plantings, and large containers.
🌱 Plant Facts
• Growth habit: Slow-growing evergreen palm
• Distinctive feature: New Zealand’s only native palm and the world’s southernmost naturally occurring palm species
• Trunk: Slender, prominently ringed trunk topped by a smooth green crownshaft
• Foliage: Large, graceful green fronds forming an attractive crown
• Flowers: Pinkish to mauve flowers produced on multiple branching spikes beneath the crown
• Flowering: November–April
• Fruit: Rounded fruit ripening to bright red
• Fruiting: February–November
• Height: Up to 15 m
🌍 Natural Habitat
• Coastal and lowland native forest
• Damp forested gullies
• Sheltered valleys
• Forest margins
• Particularly associated with warmer and relatively moist parts of New Zealand
🌿 Growing Environment
• Partial shade to filtered sun
• Sheltered conditions preferred
• Coastal tolerant
• Salt tolerant
• Moist, free-draining soils
• Suitable for container growing while young
Nīkau performs best in a sheltered position protected from strong winds. Young plants naturally thrive beneath a forest canopy, and protection from exposure helps maintain healthy, lush fronds. Windy sites can cause browning and damage to the frond tips.
📍 Endemic Distribution
• Endemic to New Zealand
• Naturally widespread through the North Island
• In the South Island it occurs from Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds south to around Ōkārito in the west and Banks Peninsula in the east
• Also naturally present on the Chatham and Pitt Islands, where distinctive forms occur
🌾 Uses
• Native bird food and attractant
• Bee and pollinator food
• Native forest planting
• Woodland and understory gardens
• Feature and specimen palm
• Large container planting
• Coastal gardens in sheltered positions
• Biodiversity planting
🪴 Cultivation Notes (Live Plant)
Nīkau is slow-growing but exceptionally rewarding when given the right position. Plant in moist, fertile, free-draining soil with shelter from strong winds, particularly while young. Partial shade or filtered light closely replicates its natural forest environment and helps protect the foliage. Once established, plants are surprisingly hardy. Nīkau also performs exceptionally well as a container specimen when young, but care should be taken when transplanting to minimise root disturbance.
📏 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.
