Pseudopanax crassifolius - Horoeka, Lancewood

🌿 Horoeka / Lancewood

Botanical name: Pseudopanax crassifolius

One of New Zealand’s most iconic native trees, lancewood is renowned for its dramatic juvenile form and striking transformation into a mature tree. A standout feature plant, it adds strong architectural interest to both natural and designed landscapes.

🌱 Plant Facts

• Growth habit: Small to medium tree

• Juvenile form:

• Long, narrow, drooping leaves up to 60 cm long and ~2 cm wide

• Leathery with shallow toothed margins

• Colour ranges from dark green to bronze with an orange midrib

• Mature form:

• Rounded crown with shorter, broader leaves

• Transition: Juvenile stage lasts 10–20 years before branching begins

• Height: Up to 12 m

• Flowering: January – April (green to yellow flowers)

• Fruiting: January – April

🌍 Natural Habitat

• Found in lowland to montane forest

• Occurs from sea level to around 750 m

• Common in forest margins and regenerating scrub

🌿 Growing Environment

• Frost tolerant

• Sun tolerant (also handles partial shade)

• Drought tolerant once established

• Salt tolerant

• Wind tolerant

Adaptable to a wide range of conditions, making it suitable for both exposed and sheltered sites.

📍 Endemic Distribution

• Native to New Zealand

• Widespread across the North, South, and Stewart Islands

🌾 Uses

• Bird food and attractant

• Bee food

• Riparian and forest plantings

• Feature specimen tree

• Native landscape design

🪴 Cultivation Notes (Live Plant)

An easy and rewarding tree to grow, lancewood establishes well from planting and requires minimal maintenance. The juvenile form provides strong visual impact, especially when planted in groups or as a standalone feature. Over time, it transitions into a more conventional tree form, offering long-term structure in gardens and restoration projects.

Approximate product size:

•  PB3/4 (5cm – 20cm, 350ml)              

•  PB3 (20cm – 70cm, 1.5L)                      

•  PB8 (50cm+, 3.5L)                                       

Timeframe:

We ship Monday – Wednesday for South Island customers and Monday/Tuesday for Rural and North Island customers. Orders placed after Monday will be fulfilled the following week. 

Local pick ups and/or deliveries will be made by arrangement. 

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