Wild Fruits of Wellington
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October

28/10/2017

 
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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 3 - 5 weeks but longer if not sown immediately

Pricking out: 2 - 4.5 months after sowing

Tips: susceptible to powdery mildew, ensure good air flow

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Titoki (Alectryon excelsus subsp. excelsus, New Zealand ash, New Zealand oak) is one of our most attractive lowland trees especially when laden with its enchanting fruit, a shiny black seed wrapped in a fleshy red aril that gradually emerges from a velvety pod. The trees bear male and female/bisexual flowers on separate trees, fruit takes many months to mature and fruiting time is far from regular! I’ve collected fruit in January, February, May and October and some years found no fruit at all.

Titoki is common from Northland to Banks Peninsula in lowland and coastal areas on quite fertile, well-drained soil such as river flats. The two New Zealand endemics in this genus (the other being Alectryon excelsus subsp. grandis found only on the Three Kings Islands) are the southernmost with the other 30 odd species inhabiting tropical regions. They belong to the Sapindaceae family aka soapberry, a group that includes well known plants such as maple, horse chestnut and lychee and so named for its surfactant properties. Compounds found in many plant parts lower the surface tension between two liquids or a liquid and a solid so are used in foaming agents, emulsifiers and detergents. Maori bruised and steamed the seeds to release the oils which were used for many ailments from skin sores to rheumatism, sprains, ear and eye problems and as a carrier for scented oils like lemonwood.

Titoki is easy to propagate from seed but be sure to sow them immediately! Its viability drops rapidly after storage of even a few months. Though a hardy tree when established and tolerant of drought and frost, make sure it doesn’t dry out when young and protect from hard frosts. Powdery mildew can be a problem in humid, still conditions so ensure good airflow, see Pests and Diseases page for remedies.


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Photo by Biopix
Propagate

Pre treatment: Hot water scarify

Germination: 2 - 5 weeks on average but longer for older seed. The fresher the seed the faster the germination

Pricking out: 2.5 - 12 months after sowing

Tips: powdery mildew can be a problem on the seedlings. Make sure they have good air flow.

There's no missing kowhai (genus Sophora) when its in flower and no surprise that it's such a popular garden specimen. Kowhai are deciduous and flower when the trees are still virtually leafless at the very dawn of spring making them all the more spectacular. The flowering of kowhai for Maori is traditionally a sign that its a good time to collect kina and scallops. The leaves are loved by kereru (native wood pigeon) as well as the native kowhai caterpillar that in large enough numbers can strip a whole tree ! For more info on good bird food trees visit the Kereru Discovery Project.

Our Wellington locals in this genus are Sophora microphylla (weeping kowhai, small-leaved kowhai), a tree than can get up to 25mtrs tall and happy in a wide range of habitats, and Sophora molloyii (Cook Strait Kowhai, Molloy's Kowhai) a smaller dense tree up to about 3mtrs tall that now has a restricted range and is at risk in the wild. It grows in amazingly inhospitable environments clinging to scree slopes around the south coast of the North Island and on Stephens, Rangitoto, Chetwode, Titi, Arapawa, and Kapiti Islands.
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Kowhai seed is around all year round either on the ground under the tree or still clinging on from last season even when the new pods are forming. The fresh seed will always germinate faster and in fact will germinate even when very green and not even hardened up so seed age accounts for a significant difference in germination time. This is true for most seed to a certain extent.

Flowering

below: the clear lavender flowers of poroporo (Solanum laciniatum) and rangiora (Brachyglottis repanda) much loved by bees, flies and butterflies
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 Photo by Jon Sullivan                                                                      Photo by Leon Perrie

above left: Puawananga (Clematis paniculata),
the herald of spring and a true joy to see the glowing white clusters appearing in the trees after a long winter. If you're looking for a dramatic spring flowerer in your garden, give this a go, as long as its roots are cool and it can climb into the sun it'll be happy.
above right: far from the showy large blooms and graceful drape of C. paniculata, Clematis afoliata (leafless clematis) resembles a tangled ball of wire. Its only found in one spot in Wellington these days and is one that we are keen to increase in numbers.

May

31/5/2017

4 Comments

 
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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 10 - 18 weeks

Pricking out: 7 months after sowing

Tips: prone to seed predation so check for small holes made by grubs. Soaking the fruit in water will kill any grubs that may not have damaged the seed
Most people have no trouble naming the iconic nikau palm (Rhopalostylis sapida) famed for being the southernmost palm in the world. It's our only palm and shares the Arecaceae family with numerous well known and economically important plants like coconut, date and oil palms. Nikau is uncommon in central Wellington now but was once more plentiful in a narrow ecological zone known as the "nikau belt", semi-coastal forest spreading up the western suburbs northwards from about Otari Wiltons Bush where just a few remain. Everything about this species is slow. It can take up to 20 years to start forming a trunk and up to 30 years before it flowers and sets fruit which no doubt contributed to its decline along with the usual suspects, habitat loss and fruit predators.

The fruit, dispersed by kereru, takes about a year to mature and the timing is quite variable, I've collected it May, August and October. Nikau do not tolerate frost, they like moist shade especially in their early years (about the first 15) and shelter from wind. They develop a tap root that makes them tricky to transplant and should be raised in a tall pot or bag and transplanted when young for best results.

Several parts of this tree were eaten; the circular butts of the leaves once stripped back to the soft white inner part (koata), and the root, which is apparently sweet tasting and was pickled in vinegar by early settlers. The succulent heart leaves were a favoured food too but obtaining them kills the tree so it wasn't eaten often. The larger leaves however were used extensively for roofing and weaving.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 5 - 10 weeks

Pricking out: 5 - 15 months after sowing with variability accounted for

Tips: only prick out in warm weather
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Pate (seven finger, Schefflera digitata) is a common small tree found throughout New Zealand which is sometimes mistaken for five finger (Pseudopanax arboreus) as it shares some family resemblances. The obvious differences are its thinner leaves with finer sharper serrations and usually seven leaflets. The leaves of pate contain falcarindiol, an antifungal agent that proved effective for the treatment of ringworm and other fungal skin complaints.

The beautiful large spreading panicle of dark purple berries are very attractive to birds, and the juice so dark, it was used as an ink. The seeds (pictured below the fruits in the inset) are small, soft and delicate so don't grind away at these too much when washing the fruit off. Germination has an initial flush but seeds will continue to germinate over a long period of time. Pate likes moist, shady, sheltered spots so bear this in mind when cultivating as it can have high loss rates in the early stages after pricking out, particularly if pricked out in cold weather which it does not like! Once it gets going it's an extremely fast grower but will require lots of water through the warmer months.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: 2 - 3 months CMS

Germination: 8 weeks

Pricking out: 3 - 7 months after sowing

Tips: prone to aphids and psyllids
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Tarata (lemonwood, Pittosporum eugenioides) is a widespread forest margin tree in lowland and hill country. It's the largest of our Pittosporum species growing up to 12 mtrs and its yellow-green leaves with wavy margins and very pale midribs distinguish it from the others. Lemonwood shares a similar  distribution to kohuhu (P. tenuifolium), scarce or absent from Westland forests and Stewart Island but common everywhere else below about 760 m.

The lemon-scented resinous gum was used as a glue when lashing fishing lines and to perfume chewing gums and oils such as kōhia (Passiflora tetrandra) mentioned in April post. 

The fruit is very slow to ripen, the capsules turning from fleshy green to dry black but they don't split right open like other species in the genus.  Once ripe the resin coated seeds are dispersed by sticking to birds who also love to eat them! In the publications I've read Pittosporum are said to be erratic and slow to germinate but I've found tarata and kohuhu to be fairly quick and even germinators after a couple of months in moist peat in the fridge (cool moist stratification, CMS).

See March post for more on Pittosporum and Pittosporaceae.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 3 - 9 months

Pricking out: 1 - 2 years after sowing

Tips: avoid overhead watering as much as possible
The number of Astelia species increased after a recent revision placed species previously known as Collospermum back in their rightful place with Astelia. The production of progeny from intergeneric crosses between Astelia and Collospermum is just one of a number of clues suggesting a close relationship between the two and leading to their earlier placement in the same genus.

Astelia hastata (kahakaha, tank lily, previously Collospermum hastatum), is a large conspicuous epiphyte common in Wellington bush areas. The others you're likely to see in our area are Astelia solandri (perching lily, kaiwharawhara) another epiphytic and forest floor species with narrower, drooping leaves, and Astelia fragrans (bush flax , bush lily, kakaha, January post), a large flax-like form with yellowish green leaves and bright orange fruit that are opaque rather than transparent as in A. solandri and A. hastata. The fruits contain several small, shiny, black seeds.

The main thing to bear in mind with Astelia species is they don't like humidity so make sure they have lots of air flow and avoid overhead watering. Even large established Astelia will rot if watered overhead too often, especially when its warm.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 2 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 2.5 - 4 months after sowing

Tips: easy

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Lophomyrtus bullata (ramarama, bubble leaf) is a beautiful small tree with bubbly, red-mottled leaves and fruit that turn almost black when ripe and clearly resemble other members of the Myrtaceae family like feijoa and guava. The genus, consisting of two species (the other L. obcordata), is endemic to New Zealand. Where the two overlap they produce a range of hybrids known as Lophomyrtus x ralphii which has given rise to most of the cultivars commonly seen in garden centres.

Ramarama contains bullatenone which has been found to have antiseptic and anti fungal properties. The bark also contains ellagic acid (found in many red fruits and berries) which Maori used traditionally to reduce bruising and has since been shown to slow the proliferation of cancer cells.

Ramarama is usually found in coastal and lowland forest and shrubland areas in the North Island and top of the South in Nelson/Marlborough. It's not very common in central Wellington but is easy to propagate if you can get the fruit (which has numerous seeds in each) and is extremely hardy.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 7 - 11 weeks

Pricking out: 4.5 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: very easy

Pukatea (Laurelia novae-zelandiae), growing up to 35 meters tall, is our largest hardwood tree. Though formerly included in the same family as Hedycarya (pigeonwood), pukatea is now the only member of its family in New Zealand and stems from an ancient lineage. Studies suggest an initial diversification of the family (Atherospermataceae), 100 - 140 million yeas ago in western Gondwana, quickly moving east to where pollen records of the family are found from Antarctic forests dating back to about 88 mya. New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia, Chile and Antarctica were all still joined in the remaining eastern block of the Gondwanan land mass at this time and members of the family are still found in all  those countries. One could assume that this suggests the genera and species evolved into the distinct groups we see today as they travelled with the separating land in a process called vicariant evolution. Laurelia showed up in New Zealand's pollen record for the first time between 39 and 24 mya during the Oligocene (as did Coprosma, Metrosideros and Fuchsia). Has it been here changing and evolving since its origins in Gondwana, or did it disperse here later from across the seas ? To join this argument embroils you in over 150 years of research and speculation on the origins of our unique biota and one that is not set to end any time soon .......

Wind dispersed seeds are uncommon among our large emergent tree species. Pukatea form clusters of pods shaped like small, elongated pears that split open to release seeds cloaked in silky hairs. This results in a brief collection period when the ground beneath the tree is thick with them but they quickly descend into the damp swampy ground. Its chosen habitat in soggy, unstable soils has led to the formation of plank buttresses at the base of the trunk, a useful tool for spotting them in mixed forest. Waterlogged soils are oxygen poor but roots need to respire so Laurelia has an extensive root system some of which loop up above the soil and develop lenticels (pores) that allow air into the inner tissues. These specialised roots are called pneumatophores.

The bark of this tree contains pukateine, an alkaloid that acts to reduce nerve pain and was widely used for tooth ache. The bark decoction was also used for skin ailments and ulcers and is still available from natural medicine outlets today for its pain relieving properties.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: ~ 8 weeks

Pricking out: ~ 5 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: slow grower
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Aptly named bastard grass (hook sedge, kamu, matau-a-maui (fish hook of Maui), Carex uncinata previously Uncinia) this sedge needs very little excuse to grab on taking advantage of even the downiest of human hairs! Though I love it I frequently curse this ability when working in the garden! This species is the commonest of the hook sedges found throughout the country and in Hawaii in a wide range of habitats.

Carex uncinata is a bit uncooperative in the nursery setting, some growing into wonderful healthy looking plants and others remaining shabby with browning off leaves and never really getting going. I haven't grown it for long enough to determine what causes this variability but as for most plants, attempting to replicate its natural habitat should give the best results. In this case, an open but mostly shaded site with moderate soil moisture. 

Carex species vary in how the male and female flowers are arranged on a spike (single seed head on a stem) or an inflorescence (multiple seed heads on a stem). Some have spikes with both male and female flowers as in this species (the males positioned above the females), or inflorescences with male spikes and females spikes in different arrangements.


Flowering

Slim pickings on the flowering front but the flowers of the enchanting kohekohe (Dysoxylum spectabile, New Zealand mahogany), sprouting directly from the trunks, are starting to open just as this years fruit is beginning to ripen.
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The two distinct flower types of Coprosma grandifolia (kanono). Left, the pistils of the female plant and right, the large conspicuous anthers of male.
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4 Comments

April

29/4/2017

2 Comments

 
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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 1.5 - 3 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 5 months after sowing

Tips: don't bury too deep when pricking out and don't overwater while small
Toetoe, (Austroderia toetoe) is not nearly as plentiful around Wellington as A. fulvida so the odd spots where it occurs are important seed sources.  April is pretty much the end of its season so ready seed is available earlier as well. See Austroderia fulvida in December post for tips on how to tell the two apart. The same readiness measures apply for both, the stem should be fully golden up the seed head, seed heads fluffed up and falling when shaken.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 2 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 3 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: sow thickly, germination can be a bit sparse
Carex geminata (cutty grass, rautahi) (left) and Carex lessoniana (cutty grass, rautahi) (right) must be treated together due to their similarity in appearance and freshwater wetland habitat. With natural variability thrown in they can be difficult to tell apart but C. geminata has much longer peduncles (stalks that the seed heads are attached to), with longer more slender seed heads. C. lessoniana I often think looks a bit scruffier, with more compact seed heads and short peduncles so the upper seed heads particularly, are not as drooping as C. geminata.

I've found germination of both of these to be a bit sparse and variable. I suspect this is because they take a long time to ripen so it can be tempting to collect them before they're quite ready. Best results are achieved by waiting till they are very easily falling off the seed head before collecting and check the seed is completely brown. They mature quite late in the season so collections can be made up until May and June with March being about the earliest.

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 Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh or dry store and sow

Germination: about 5 months (not much data)

Pricking out: 7 - 12 months after sowing

Tips: avoid overwatering
Gahnia pauciflora (cutting sedge) is yet another member of the Cyperaceae family that includes Carex. It grows in low fertility soils in forest up to 800 mtrs, often in clearings and on track edges. Gahnia is native to China, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and many Pacific islands and the six species found here are all endemic. G. setifolia also grows in the Wellington area but is larger with many more flower stalks per plant and the seeds are significantly smaller.

Given their disappearance from much of lowland Wellington and other areas of the country, it’s a shame Gahnia species are not more widely planted. Not only for the beauty of their bold reddish seed heads with bright coloured shiny seeds, but also considering their important association with the now rare Dodonidia helmsii (Forest ringlet) our only forest dwelling butterfly that relies on plants like Gahnia and Chionochloa for food. Sadly they are rather uncooperative in cultivation, not so much due to poor germination, but to extreme intolerance of root disturbance so don’t tease out the roots as you might usually when transplanting.

Gahnia are easy to spot due to the curious mechanism they employ for displaying their bright seeds, known as nuts. The filaments of the anthers remain attached to the base of the nut as it ripens and gradually lengthen and twist together with filaments from other flowers. Once the seed is released from its scale it dangles from the entwined filaments. The seeds have a long ripening period so should be left as long as possible before collection and some suggest, dried further (up to 6 months) before sowing.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 1 month

Germination: 3 - 4 months

Pricking out: variable from 9 - 20 months or more after sowing

Tips: very temperamental

Kamahi (Weinmannia racemosa, tawheo, tawhero, tawherowhero) belongs to a genus of about 150 species, the largest in the Cunoniaceae family. Only two occur in New Zealand, W. racemosa, widespread up to about the point where the other, W. silvicola starts in the Auckland region and further north. Though extremely common in many areas it is not so in Wellington with just a few remnants of large mature trees dotted around the city reserves.

The high tannin content of the bark was traditionally used for dyes and its usage by early European tanners resulted in a drastic reduction of kamahi numbers in the Auckland region. It was also used in chest medicines and wound healing.

This is a stunning tree with Hebe-like flowers and pods that produce very tiny seeds. The seeds are quickly dropped once the pods split so they need to be collected just before that point. By the time they are totally brown like the ones in this picture they're likely all gone so collect a few pods at various stages of ripeness. The seeds have variable germination, will continue to send up seedlings over a long period of time and grow slowly from there on. Kamahi seedlings can be extremely temperamental after pricking out and it's still a bit of a mystery but the best results I've had is leaving the seedlings till they're at least  2 or 3cm tall before pricking out, do so when the weather is warm and keep nice and evenly damp and sheltered. Once they get past the vulnerable stage they're tough as old boots!


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: ~ 4 months

Pricking out: ~ 7 months after sowing

Tips: prone to damping off

This unassuming small tree Coprosma foetidissima (hupiro, stinkwood, shit shrub), has given all the others a bad name. The genus Coprosma meaning 'dung' from the Greek 'kopros' and 'osme' for 'smell' arose from this species despite it being the only one that smells this foul. C. foetidissima grows on the inland hills around Wellington, more common in re-establishing scrub cover in open exposed areas. It has small soft pale green leaves and is easily over looked when part of a low canopy but hard to miss if there is breeze brushing the leaves and releasing its 'vile' odour.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 7.5 months

Pricking out: 8 - 14 months after sowing

Tips: enjoyed by leaf roller caterpillars
Wharangi (Melicope ternata, literally translated as 'honey cut triplets') is a small tree found mainly in coastal forests in the North Island, northern off shore islands, and top of the South Island where it occurs only on the coast. Melicope belongs to the same family as Citrus and not surprisingly has long been utilized for its aromatic oil (oil glands can be seen on the leaf underside), particularly the fresh smelling gum that was chewed to freshen the breath.

The bright, light, yellow-green leaves with three leaflets make wharangi quite distinctive and when in fruit is even easier to identify. The fruit has four compartments and as the pods ripen the shiny black seeds gradually emerge to sit atop the dried pods before finally falling.

Like M. simplex it is slow to germinate and grow in the early stages so consider it a two year crop. 

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 8 weeks

Pricking out: 3 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Acaena pallida (sand piripiri, sand bidibid) will readily collect itself on your socks almost all year round as you ramble  through the sand dunes where it is common all around the coast from the southern North Island southwards. Sand piripiri provides an excellent food source for lizards and as a sand binder is useful for mitigating coastal erosion. Though it's a dune dweller it needs that moisture from lower down so don't be tempted to keep it as dry as the upper sand layer.

There are 100 odd species in this genus concentrated in Australia, South America and New Zealand with about 20 species occurring here. They're a successful group with several New Zealand species making it to invasive plant lists in North America, not surprising considering many have barbed
seeds that are spread widely as they easily attach to feathers and fur.

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Propagate

By cutting

Rooting time: 1 - 2 months

Tip: very prone to fungus and mould. Ensure good airflow
Though not typically raised from seed the Veronicas (or Hebes depending on your level of attachment to their former name) really deserve a mention as they are New Zealand’s largest genus of flowering plants. There are almost 90 species (not to mention cultivars!!) displaying amazing ecological and morphological diversity and they’re important food for bees and butterflies. Two that are common around Wellington and ideal for restoration are koromiko (Veronica stricta var. stricta and var. macroura) and V. parviflora (formerly V. arborea), both reaching small tree status, 5 - 7.5mtrs.

Like the Asteraceae family (Olearia, Brachyglottis, Ozothamnus, Raoulia), they self-seed readily but are extremely variable when attempting to raise a crop from seed so by far the easiest option is cuttings. Cuttings are clones of the parent plant so when genetic diversity is important make sure to collect from as many plants as possible. See the Propagation page for notes on taking cuttings. Veronicas can be susceptible to fungal and mould issues in humid conditions so maximum air flow is essential.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 2 - 3 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 4 months after sowing

Tips: sow thickly to allow for low strike rate
Olearia solandri (Coastal tree daisy) occupies a similar niche to Ozothamnus leptophylla (March post) but is not as abundant. It is easily identified by its square yellow stems that fade a bit as they get older, and like many Olearia species its scent is divine. It's in the daisy family which means the seed viability can be quite low so sow in a good thick layer to get decent numbers and you'll have them popping up over quite a long time.

Olearia is a genus of about 130 species found mainly in Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand. There are 40 odd species here and almost half of them are trees growing 5 - 8 meters tall though some, like Olearia traversiorum from the Chatham Islands, can reach 18 meters ! This makes them unique within their genus and even their family, Asteraceae, which is one of the largest in the world but mostly comprised of small herbaceous plants. More than half of our Olearia species are declining or endangered and many are uncommon. The only local natives common in Wellington are O. paniculata and O. solandri.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 3 - 4 weeks

Pricking out: 1.5 - 4 months after sowing

Tips: easy
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The endemic New Zealand passionfruit (Kohia, Passiflora tetandra) with its adorable little pumpkin coloured, lantern-like fruit is a cheery sight in the bush as the weather starts to cool. It's our largest, most vigorous climber, developing huge thick  vines that snake across the forest floor and establish considerable thickets in the canopy. Needless to say, don't plant this too early in your restoration project or it might end up being all you have !   

The fruits (borne on female vines) are a favourite bird food and will also be devoured by any possums, rats and mice in the area. The oil extracted from the seeds had various traditional uses including medicinal salves for treating persistent skin sores. Seed oil from several Passiflora species is still promoted as a healing and nourishing ingredient in skin products. The oil was even used by settlers for oiling watches and other fine metal work.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: variable from a few months up to several years

Pricking out: 7.5 months to 5.5 years after sowing, averaging about 2 years

Tips: easy if you have patience
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Hinau (Pōkākā, Elaeocarpus dentatus var. dentatus) is a common member of lowland conifer-broadleaf forest throughout the country south to about Christchurch in the east and South Westland in the west. It has distinctly different juvenile and adult leaves, the juvenile leaves being longer and thinner and lacking the large obvious domatia (small chambers where the leaf veins meet the mid rib). The picture on the left shows a Knightia (rewarewa) seedling below a hinau seedling , the two are often confused at this young stage of growth.

The adult leaves with their thick rolled over edges and large domatia are easy to spot on the ground in the bush if you're wondering what the canopy trees are. Also easily spotted earlier in the year are the fallen cream flowers with their dainty, finely toothed edges. The resemblance to Aristotelia flowers illustrates their family ties.

Elaeocarpus (referring to the olive-like fruit) is a large genus of about 350 species that are almost entirely tropical, the two southernmost species occurring here. The fruit have a mealy texture and were used by Maori to make a heavy loaf, komeke hinau, steamed for hours in an umu then preserved by wrapping and submerging in water for up to a year or more.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 2 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: prone to damping off when young
Perhaps the commonest Coprosma species Karamu (Croprosma robusta, glossy karamu), grows throughout the country in shrub lands from the coast to lower montane areas and in openings within established bush. Its 'weedy' nature (readily recruits, fast to grow, tolerant of a range of habitats) means it is widely used in restoration. Part of its recruitment success can be attributed to its astounding ability to set fruit from almost every flower. Though this is usually a result of pollination (gametes from male and female flowers forming an embyo), and rarely results in every flower being fertilised, some species including this one, can set fruit without pollination in a process called apomixis. The resulting fruit is a clone of the female parent, but once you factor in its dioecious breeding system (separate male and female plants) it still maintains genetic variation in its male pollinated offspring so avoids the inbreeding depression usually associated with cloned offspring or self pollination. 

Coprosma are related to coffee plants (genus Coffea) and during the world wars C. robusta seeds were roasted and used as a coffee substitute. In fact William Colenso (the first British botanist to describe many New Zealand plants) named this species Coprosma coffaeoides
due to the similarities.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 4.5 - 5 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Cyperus ustulatus (toetoe upoko-tangata, Coastal cutty grass, Giant umbrella sedge) is a large (over 1m tall) impressive sedge, happy in any moist situation though it can tolerate drying out from time to time too. We only have a couple of native Cyperus species making them hugely outnumbered by exotics. The seed heads of Cyperus are prone to infection by the endemic smut fungus, Bauerago which interferes with seed formation. The fruiting bodies appear as a yellow pollen-like powder obvious at the time of collection. Smut fungi also infect a number of other sedges and are quite host specific. Carex lessoniana is commonly infected by one that doesn't affect C. geminata so if you see them with a coating that looks like black mold it could actually be a good indicator of the species.

The large leaves of this plant were often used for weaving mats and baskets once the sharp serrated edges were removed. Along with the two Carex species mentioned earlier, Cyperus makes an excellent large, fast growing filler. These three will compete well with the growth of exotic grasses in your wet site restoration areas.  

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 4.5 - 5 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Kunzea ericoides was long considered a highly variable species with distinct races and varieties, or, one in need of closer attention to recognise this variability as distinct species.  After many years of compiling the puzzle pieces, a major revision of the genus in 2014 did just that. We now have ten endemic species, seven of which are newly described. Kunzea robusta (kanuka, white tea tree) our most common and widespread species is one of those. The name we used to use for this species, Kunzea ericoides is a species confined to the northern South Island.

Kunzea is a genus of almost entirely Australian species and belongs to the Myrtaceae family. In New Zealand this family includes rata, pohutakawa, manuka, kanuka and Lophomyrtus (ramarama) among others. The most topical issue for this family at present is Mrytle rust, a serious fungal disease that has recently arrived here from Australia. It severely attacks and even kills the plant and in Australia, has now become problematic for over 200 different species. Check out MPI website for more information.

Like manuka, kanuka is also a pioneer species colonising open ground in more fertile and well drained sites than manuka. Though it grows fast and large (up to 20 meters or more) the seedlings won't establish in the shade of maturing stands so eventually they are replaced by more shade tolerant forest species.  

The medicinal properties of kanuka and manuka are also similar, both species are called tea trees and almost every part of these plants, and the honeys derived from them, are imbued with multiple health benefits. See manuka in November post for notes on telling these two apart.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 8 weeks

Pricking out: 3 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: prone to damping off
Harakeke (flax, Phormium tenax, korari) is stunningly imposing in its wetland and riparian habitat. It has always had huge importance to Maori, and as discussed in January post, was once one of our main industries, destroyed by the same disease (yellow leaf) that is present again in the environment. About 60 different forms are recognised by Maori for their various fibre qualities, and knowledge of the healing properties of the gel from its leaves is growing through its expanding use in skin care products.

European settlers gave both species the common name 'flax' due to the similarity of its fibres to the plant that gives us linen and linseed oil, Linum.  Our native flaxes are in fact a type of lily quite closely related to day lilies (Hemerocallis). The flowers are not only loved by our native honey eaters, tui, bellbird, kokako, saddleback, but also by bats and geckos.

If you're in any doubt about the difference between wharariki (mountain flax, P. cookianum) and harakeke, the latter has upwards pointing seed heads that follow red flowers, and stiff, upright leaves on much larger plants. Wharariki has smaller yellow flowers followed by pendulous seed heads and drooping yellowish green leaves.


Flowering

Flowers are few and far between right now but Olearia paniculata (Akiraho, golden akeake) (below) is just finishing at the end of April and there are still a few flushes of Metrosideros fulgens (rata) (bottom) dotted around.
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2 Comments

March

30/3/2017

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh. CMS for a month may speed up and even out germination

Germination: 4 - 12 weeks

Pricking out: 3 - 6.5 months after sowing

Tips: particularly prone to damping off, keep on the dry side while small
Cabbage trees, (ti kouka, Cordyline australis)  put on a truly incredible flowering display drawing bees, moths and other insects from miles around. March is the start of their fruit maturation season which continues till about June. The fruit  really needs to be white and spongy before collecting for them to be viable.

Cordyline is a genus of about 20 or so species native to the western Pacific and shares the Asparagaceae family with a diverse range of plants including our native renga lily (Arthropodium), but also exotics such as pineapple lilies (Eucomis), grape hyacinths (Muscari) and the problematic climbing asparagus fern (Asparagus scandens). The other species you'll occasionally see around Wellington is Cordyline banksii and up into mountains, Cordyline indivisa is a sight to behold!  

The name 'cabbage tree' comes from the use of the young central leaves as a cabbage substitute by early settlers and 'Cordyline' derives from the Greek word for club, referring to the enlarged underground stems (rhizomes). 
These were an important food source for Maori especially down South where kumara don't grow so well. The huge tap root / trunk bases were harvested just before flowering when the sugar content was highest and steamed in large umu (earth ovens) providing a sugary pulp. These earth ovens can still be seen in historic sites around Palliser area.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 4 - 8 weeks

Pricking out: 3 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: particularly prone to damping off
March is the main fruiting time for Coprosma species but see Jan and Feb posts for earlier fruiting species. Coprosma lucida (karamu, shining karamu) is not as common around Wellington as some of the other species, but is equally hardy, tolerating very dry and windy situations, often found on forest margins and lower montane areas. Sometimes confused with Coprosma robusta, the distinct sharp tip to the leaf and raised mid vein set it apart along with the larger, almost spherical fruit.

As all Coprosma species are plentiful and edible, shining karamu with its large berries was commonly gathered for food.  Loved by birds as well, it can be difficult to catch before they do due to its slow ripening, each berry being plucked as soon as it matures, so this is another species I often put a mesh bag on to secure the small supply. 


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 3.5 - 7 months

Pricking out: 6.5 - 9 months after sowing

Tips: can damp off when young, give good air flow
Coprosma rotundifolia is easily overlooked on the upper forest margin being a rather scrappy looking large shrub that can grow to 5 or 6 meters, its thin intertwining branches form it into columnar shapes in the dappled light of surrounding trees. Sometimes confused with Coprosma areolata (below), it differs most markedly by the orange, rather than deep purple fruits, and the usually larger, rounder, brown-mottled leaves covered in small hairs.

I've found these smaller leaved, shrubby Coprosma species including C. rhamnoides to be slower to germinate with slightly lower strike rates compared to the likes of C. robusta, C. grandifolia and C repens. Being more delicate they're also more prone to damping off when young but once they get going they're easy to grow and happy in a range of sites so well deserving of a place.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 2.5 - 4 months

Pricking out: 4 - 5.5 months after sowing

Tips: can damp off when young, give good air flow
Coprosma areolata (thin leaved Coprosma) shares the upper forest margin with C. rotundifolia, grows to a similar size, and the two are often found together. As in this photo the leaf veins are more prominent than in C. rotundifolia and leaves are mostly hairless. The very dark purple berries that not surprisingly make an excellent dye, are easy to miss, often clustered on the undersides of branches and in amongst the leaves.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 2 - 5 months

Pricking out: 5 - 7 months after sowing

Tips: can damp off when young, give good air flow
Earlier names for various forms of this species such as Coprosma heterophylla and C. polymorpha give a good indication of its variable leaf shapes and sizes, often found on the same plant. Now considered one species,  Coprosma rhamnoides (twiggy Coprosma, mingimingi, red currant Coprosma) is a small shrub whose branches arch over creating a pale brownish, rounded hummock, more pronounced in open environments. This dense growth form and fuzzy covering on its new branches, along with fruits tucked safely away inside the twiggy network have allowed it to endure in steep exposed pasture where few other species survive. This makes it an ideal early restoration species for converting harsh pasture sites back to bush cover.

I'm completely captivated by the small jewel-like, ruby fruits of this shrub (which sometimes are almost black) despite being the most painstaking of all to collect ! The leaves often have a pale blotch at the base which can help to identify them.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 7.5 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 3 months after sowing

Tips: very fast. Protect young seedlings from caterpillars
Hoheria sexstylosa (houhere, lacebark) is a curious beast, regarded by some as a variety of H. populnea and by others a hybrid species of H. populnea and H. angustifolia. Whatever further work brings to light, there is no doubt it is out-numbered in Wellington by both Hoheria populnea and its hybrids. Sexstylosa meaning 'six styled' is your best defense against misidentification with H. populnea  (five styled) though hybrid offspring between the two can still have six or more styles. The picture above shows a likely hybrid with features such as longer thinner leaves and a weeping habit characteristic of H. sexstylosa, though the number of winged seeds in the cluster have a count of five, not six. 

Sharing the Malvaceae family with our native Hibiscus, whau (Entelea arborescens) and ribbonwoods (Plagianthus), Hoheria is a genus of seven native species. Lacebark and ribbonwood get their common name from the layered, fibrous, lace-like inner bark that inspired early settlers to call it 'thousand jacket'. The bark was widely used for fine weaving, trimming cloaks and rope making and all the plant parts have multiple medicinal uses as do most members of the Malvaceae (mallow) family.

This is one of the exceptions to the rule "collect when ready to naturally disperse". Hoheria is wind dispersed as evidenced by the winged seeds and does so when dry and ready to break apart from the cluster. However the seeds are absolutely loved into oblivion by caterpillars so any chance of collecting viable seed rests on collecting them green. I was amazed by the  germination from what I was sure would be far too immature seed. The caterpillars enter the thickest part of the seed and simply munch directly through from one seed to another in a perfect circle around the cluster so separate and sort carefully the eaten from the intact seed.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 4  weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: easy from divisions
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Calystegia soldanella (shore bindweed, shore Convolvulus, rauparaha) is a small creeping convolvulus common all over New Zealand and off shore islands in sandy coastal areas but also a few inland environments such as lake edges. We have four native species of Calystegia all of which are found elsewhere with C. soldanella being the most globally widespread.

Calystegia means ‘covered cup’ referring to the bracts (modified leaves often associated with reproductive structures like flowers) covering the calyx (collective name for the flower sepals), both of which wrap around the ovary containing the large brown shiny seeds. These large tan pods are produced almost year round. Like all rhizomatous plants it spreads by creeping underground stems (another easy way to propagate it) that play a role in sand dune stability. It also makes a great alternative to grass lawn in beach front properties.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 4 - 5 months or sow fresh

Germination: 3 - 9 months

Pricking out: I don't have good data for this species, I've tried both CMS and sowing after dry storage so can only say it appears to take ~ 1 - 2 years from sowing
This stout, densely branched and leafy spreading shrub, Melicytus crassifolius (Thick-leaved mahoe), has all the makings of a successful coastal species though this one is not fairing so well and is declining throughout its range. Found in the lower North Island and top of the eastern South Island it is a slow grower, heavily browsed by herbivores and can barely recruit when exposed to them. The striking white bark, smooth tapering branches and very dark green leaves make it a popular and hardy landscaping plant and I'm especially taken by its unique black and white, egg-shaped fruit.

Melicytus meaning "honey cave", refers to the nectaries in the flowers that provide a sugary reward to its pollinators. The genus is a member of the Violaceae family and there are 11 species native to NZ, the most common in Wellington being M. ramiflorus (whiteywood).


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh or scarify the woody seed coat to speed up germination

Germination: 3 - 5 months

Pricking out: ~ 2.5 - 13 months after sowing due to the variable germination rates

Tips: easy
The well known Ngaio tree, Myoporum laetum is about as hardy as they come. It's a common coastal and lowland forest tree extremely tolerant to dry conditions and hard pruning. Ngaio contains a toxin called Ngaione, also found in a fungus that grows on sweet potatoes. Though the toxin causes serious liver damage the oil in the leaves was traditionally used to ward off insects and has antibacterial properties.

Because the seed coat is thick and woody, only the weathering process (variable conditions like moisture, temperature and general wear and tear) determines the speed of germination, so seeds sown at the same time will continue to germinate over several months. This is another plant whose seedlings bounce back miraculously after being wrenched from a seed tray a couple of years after they germinated.

The introduction of Tasmanian ngaio, Myoporum insulare, and consequent widespread propagation due to mistaken identity has resulted in hybrid swarms in some areas including Wellington. Be very sure you know what you are collecting with this species. Some differences are the almost black leaf buds, and flowers larger than 10mm in Myoporum laetum as opposed to the very sticky, green leaf buds and smaller flowers of M. insulare. M. laetum has thinner leaves which appear more wavy and make the oil glands more obvious. M. insulare has thicker, darker green, more regularly oblong and less serrated leaves.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 6 - 13 weeks

Pricking out: from 9 months after sowing, ongoing

Tips: keep fairly moist and shady
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Bush laywer (Rubus cissoides, tataramoa), is one of five endemic species of Rubus found here and our only native members of the huge global Rosaceae family containing many fruiting species like plums, peaches, quinces and strawberries. Rubus contains blackberries, raspberries etc. though the tiny fruits of our native species are a far cry from their large, sweet and juicy cousins.

This plant is not often cultivated for obvious reasons. I can certainly attest to the laborious and painful process of separating tangled plants left to grow into each other but it’s a good climber for restoration plantings in the early stages as it doesn’t become a huge, smothering, woody vine like some other climbers. Apart from the thorny issue of its management in the nursery it’s easy to propagate and will happily sit in a seed tray for pricking out later which is great for plants you only want a few of at a time.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 3 - 8 weeks

Pricking out: 2.5 - 4 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Pittosporum tenuifolium (Kohukohu, kohuhu, black matipo) belongs to a family of about 200 - 240 species of Pittosporaceae spread around temperate and tropical parts of the Pacific. New Zealand Pittosporum are an important genus of 22 endemic species over half of which have small, vulnerable populations. Pittosporum meaning "pitch (tar) seed" refers to the incredibly sticky coating that gums the seeds together in the seed pod and is an effective deterrent to seed predators, aside from birds that is who seem to relish them, as well as disperse them when they stick to their feathers. One of the best tricks I've learnt from a seasoned propagator is to use flour to separate the seeds for sowing.

Kohuhu flowers can easily be missed because they are so dark in colour but they have an utterly divine scent, especially in the evening air. The popularity of this species in the home garden has resulted in many cultivars and hybrids making it more than a little tricky to identify a 'wild' specimen as a good seed source. The two common species in Wellington are P. tenuifolium and P. eugenioides and unfortunately P. crassifolium (karo), an upper North Island species superficially resembling pohutukawa that has become a serious weed in the Wellington area.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 1.5 - 4 weeks

Pricking out: 1.5 - 4.5 months after sowing

Tips: sow thickly, germination can be a bit sparse
Extremely common around Wellington, tauhinu (Ozothamnus leptophyllus) is a dominant member of our 'grey scrub' community. The distinctly different forms of this variable species resulted in a previous count of five species and several varieties, all of which have now been subsumed into the one species, though these may again be split based on DNA evidence.

Tauhinu behaves a bit like gorse, quickly colonizing open farmland, growing to about two meters and then if the land is left, being overtopped by larger coastal broadleaved species. Part of its success must be attributed to a very long fruiting season, this species will drop seed until about July. Though part of the Asteraceae family known for sparse and variable germination, tauhinu is a reliable crop (if sown as thickly as the other daisies),  but will continue to send up seedlings for quite some time after the initial flush.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 10 - 12 weeks

Pricking out: 4 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Kaikomako (Pennantia corymbosa) belongs to a small genus of just a few species found in Australia, Norfolk Island and New Zealand. Both New Zealand species are endemic, the other, Pennantia baylisiana (Three Kings Islands Pennantia), is critically endangered with only one female tree remaining in the wild.

Kaikomako, meaning food of the bellbird, is more familiar to most people in its juvenile form, commonly dotted along track edges in bush understory with leaves resembling duck feet. It's not hugely common around Wellington so best spotted on bush margins and stream edges while flowering and fruiting. Though Pennantia is functionally dioecious (separate male and female trees), this might not be obvious in a close up look at the flower. What you will see is the remains of non functional anthers and ovaries on flowers of the opposite gender. It's a great example of evolution in action, a bit like the kiwi that no longer flies but retains its vestigial wings.


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Named for the position of the seed sitting atop the fruit rather than being enclosed in it, the Podocarps are our emergent giants of the forest. All fruit in autumn with the exception of rimu that may fruit at the end of summer but does so only about once a decade.

Miro, matai, totara, kahikatea, rimu and all our other conifers (cone bearing plants) belonging to the Podocarpaceae family, are endemic to New Zealand (found nowhere else). They are all very long lived, some with life spans up to 1000 years or more and descend from ancient lineages that have persisted since their peak diversity when New Zealand was part of a single land mass, Gondwana. Totara, rimu and kahikatea all have ancestors that were already present in the very earliest stages of New Zealand having finally drifted away from the rest of the supercontinent 60 million years ago.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh or CMS 3 months

Germination: 3.5 - 5 months

Pricking out: 5.5 - 9.5 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Totara (Podocarpus totara), along with kauri, is possibly our longest lived tree living to over 1000 years. Totara is one the first of the large podocarps to start dropping seed. They are small, green and rather inconspicuous once they have lost their brightly coloured receptacle that serves as an attractant to its avian dispersers (they are deliciously sweet!). The absence of a woody seed coat means this is the quickest of the podocarps to germinate though the post germination growth rate is much slower than most of the others.

Rot resistant totara was the wood of choice for constructing large canoes, carvings, and for building. The thick sturdy bark that comes off in large strips also had multiple names and uses.

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Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 7 - 8.5 months  though no much data

Pricking out: 6.5 - 10 months after sowing

Tips: easy
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Matai (black pine, Prumnopitys taxifolia), is closely related to miro and has a similar bark pattern but with lighter, brighter reddish 'hammer marks' (patches where the bark has recently flaked off). Matai also has a distinctive divaricating juvenile form with small, sparse leaves and a brownish colour that make it look somewhat dead. Divaricating shrubs and juvenile forms have been proposed as an adaptation to moa browsing, the effort needed to gain sustenance from the plant greatly outweighing the nutrient gain and therefore, not really worth the trouble. It's been a hotly debated topic but I think compelling evidence comes from comparative studies of related plants on the Chatham Islands that never had moa. Those plants have larger leaves and more relaxed branching angles.

The fine golden finish and hardwearing properties of matai wood led to massive losses to milling, peaking in the 1950's. Along with clearance of lowland forest for farming, the extent of matai dominated forests have been reduced to small pockets on the eastern South Island. Matai fruit are an important food source for birds and it's an easy way to locate trees at this time of year, just listen for the almighty kerfuffle! 

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: not enough data

Pricking out: 5.5 months - 4 years after sowing

Tips: old, pre-weathered seed germinates much quicker
Miro (Prumnopitys ferrunginea, brown pine)  and matai are unusual conifers in having the fruit surrounded by flesh rather than the seed attached to a fleshy receptacle, and are referred to as the 'plum pines'. Both are irresistible to kereru and their insatiable appetite for them often cost them their lives when they were hunted for food. Kereru have the unfortunate tendency to gorge themselves until they're incapable of flying making them fat, easy pickings.

The seeds of miro take such a long time to germinate, I tend to take advantage of the pigeons appetite too by looking for the favoured perching (and pooping) spot, below which yields piles of nicely processed and partially weathered seed easily gathered by the handful. Though probably frowned upon in propagation practices for fear of collecting seed riddled with fungus and other nasties,  I don't really see it as an issue given the woody seed coat  and the overall hardiness of native seedlings. Collecting this instead of fresh seed can mean waiting about half the time for germination.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 3.5 - 6.5 months though not based on much data

Pricking out: 18.5 - 20.5 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Kahikatea (white pine, Dacrycarpus dacrydioides) the tallest of all the forest giants growing up to  60m, also suffered significantly during early settlement. Its lowland swampy habitat was fast recognised as prime farming land once drained and grassed, so the vast, dense stands that once dominated lowland New Zealand were quickly felled. The wood of white pine is soft and odourless so its popularity for boxes and crates grew rapidly, particularly for butter boxes with the advent of refrigeration and long distance shipping of perishable goods. Apart from a couple of small remnants (one of which is Nga Manu Reserve in Waikanae), South Westland has the only sizable Kahikatea forest remaining in the country. 

Kahikatea is not only very tall but also very old. Pollen and leaves most closely resembling it have been found in rock dated 160 to 180 million years old, a period that long predates birds or flowering plants, so the fruits of this
Jurassic ancestor may well have been eaten by winged dinosaurs. You'll hear our modern winged dinosaurs starting to cavort around for the fruits towards the end of March.

Flowering

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above left: Wahlenbergia violacea (Violet Harebell)                         above right : Koromiko (Veronica stricta var. stricta)
below left: Earina autumnalis (Easter orchid, raupeka)                   below right: Euphrasia cuneata (North Island eyebright)
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above: the heavenly scented Olearia solandri (Coastal tree daisy)
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February

28/2/2017

2 Comments

 
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Propagate

Pre treatment:  sow fresh

Germination: 3 - 4 weeks

Pricking out: 4 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus, hinahina, whitey wood), so named for its flowering and fruiting directly from the branches (ramilflory), is an abundant small tree found throughout the country and is the largest of 11 native species. This is a primary coloniser and most likely to be the bright, light green you see emerging above the gorse and scrub in newly regenerating land. It can however reach a height of up to 15 meters and support significant epiphyte communities. The dark purple berries are loved by birds and geckos and the dye from them was sometimes used in traditional Maori tattoos.

The soft wood makes it a favoured species for  burrowing insects like our North Island endemic pururi moth (Aenetus virescens) lavae. Mahoe also has its very own mahoe moth, Feredaria graminosa which can sometimes seriously defoliate the trees.

Mahoe seed can be put in the fridge for cool moist stratification (CMS) for 2 - 4 months if sowing immediately is not possible but it does seem to slow down the germination.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 7 - 8 months or more

Pricking out: 16 - 20 months after sowing

Tips: slow germination, slow growth
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Melicope is a genus of about 230 shrub and tree species but only two are found here. M. simplex (poataniwha) is widespread throughout the country and more common around Wellington than M. ternata (April post). It’s not quite so easy to spot as it assumes its place amongst a sizable suite of "small leaved shrubs" but when in fruit, there is no mistaking it as the pods and seeds are an identical miniature version of M. ternata. Another distinguishing feature is the flattened leaf stalk attached by a joint to the leaf.

Like M. ternata, this species takes a while to germinate though I admit I haven’t tried different pre treatments to see if this time can be shortened. Given the seed type, hot water treatment would be worth a try.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: 1 - 3 months CMS

Germination: 4 - 7 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 3 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Makomako, wineberry (Aristotelia serrata) is one of the fastest growing and most reliable restoration trees due to its tolerance for almost any situation. New Zealand natives aren't known for their colourful flowers but the spring display of makomako is really pretty with clusters of white through pink to dark red flowers whose form makes the relationship to hinau obvious.

The almost black berries once used for both jelly and wine making, are also loved by birds and the colour contrast against the fairly pale leaves means they are easy for them to spot so good luck beating them to it ! Each fruit has multiple seeds though so you don't need many for a good crop.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: hot water scarify or CMS 1 - 3 months

Germination: erratic ! I have records ranging between 4 and 32 weeks for this one

Pricking out: 12 - 18 months after sowing

Tips: can damp off if overwatered when seedlings are very small. Protect from birds
Dianella nigra (turutu, New Zealand blueberry, inkberry) is in the same family as flaxes, aloes and day lilies. There are about 40 species in the genus spread around the globe, many  are Australian natives, Aotearoa has three. Turutu is clump forming looking a bit like a small flax and grows in a variety of situations. It does well in dryish shade which can be a difficult niche to fill and is widely used as a landscape plant for its sprays of small white flowers followed by striking vivid blue berries which really are the star of the show. Despite the name NZ blueberry, this plant is NOT edible !

Despite appearing as though it's one of those 'tough as old boots' types, the early life of Dianella is somewhat unpredictable.  The seed is certainly hardy as germination time seems unaffected by storage or treatment but once it's up it's surprisingly vulnerable, damping off easily, VERY attractive to birds who astonish me with their knack of 'sniffing' out a lone seed tray amongst all the rest ! It's a slow grower early on and is most successful when left to toughen up a bit before tubing to mitigate the damping off issue so though it's worth the wait, don't expect quick results with this one !


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 3 - 4 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 4 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Microlaena avenacea (bush rice grass, oat grass) is a graceful grass common along shady track edges in bush understory.  It's the perfect plant for filling in dry shade and large groups make a really eye catching display. Microlaena is a small genus of only five species, four of which are native. This grass is much underrated and its really quick and easy so give it a go!

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Propagate

Pre treatment: hot water scarify

Germination: 6 - 10 weeks but can take longer

Pricking out: 2.5 - 3 months after sowing

Tips: easy
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Common broom (Carmichaelia australis), as its name suggests, is the most common native member of this genus found all over the country in almost every habitat. It’s one of 23 endemic species, the majority occurring in the eastern South Island, and it’s the only native broom you're likely to see around central Wellington. After a revision of the group about 20 years ago, several separate genera were subsumed into Carmichaelia and 12 species into C. australis highlighting its incredible variability.

The most interesting feature of this group is their lack of leaves. Modified stems known as cladodes or phylloclades take on the photosynthetic function usually performed by leaves. Celery pines (Phyllocladus) are another group whose leaves are modified stems. The seed pods remain on the plant as the sides of the pods fall away leaving the bright orange seeds dangling within the outline. Like all legumes, Carmichaelia has hard, long lasting seeds that germinate far more readily after a soak in hot water. See December post for flowering.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 2 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 4 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Ficinia nodosa (wiwi, knobby club rush, ethel sedge) is another top restoration plant for its toughness and range of habitat tolerances. Found commonly in sandy areas, it will also grow in wet estuarine habitats and in clay. This is a back dune species for restoration purposes and remnants far inland and up into the hills on the south coast are an indication of where it occured in Wellington before encroaching development disrupted its former range.

Wiwi is native to Australia and New Zealand and though its round stems make it look like a rush, its actually a leafless sedge so shares the Cyperaceae family with all the other sedges including Carex. The relationship between Ficinia nodosa and Ficinia spiralis (pingao) has long been under scrutiny and both have had several name changes. The most significant was pingao moving from Desmoschoenus (formerly an endemic genus), to join Ficinia a widespread genus of mostly South African members.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 3 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 2.5 - 5 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Carex is a huge genus of up to 2000 species, over 100 of which are native to New Zealand though several exotic species are just as at home here. Many are useful in restoration of wetlands; C. geminata, C. lessoniana, C. secta, C. virgata; forest understory and scrub; C. flagellifera, C. dissita, C. uncinata, C. banksiana; and coast, C. pumila (Jan post).

Carex secta (purei, pukio) is found in wetlands throughout the country and once mature, develops a trunk of old rhizomes, roots and flower stem bases that can attain a height of up to a meter ! The seed head is loosely branched (hence the species name meaning 'much divided') and drooping, and seeds fall very easily from the stem when ripe. Like many grasses and sedges this is a very fast grower and though it is most at home in wet environments it can tolerate the dry surprisingly well.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 6 weeks

Pricking out: 4 - 7 months after sowing

Tips: easy
Though slightly slower growing, Carex virgata (swamp sedge, pukio, toitoi, toetoe) is very similar to C. secta and they can be difficult to tell apart when not in flower.  It inhabits similar situations and can also form a trunk though it never reaches the height of C. secta. Once in flower C. virgata is easy to spot by its rigid, upright stalks with flowers/seeds spiralling around the stem. When I first learnt this plant I would think "virgata in a vortex" to remember how to ID it.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 2 - 7 weeks

Pricking out: 4 - 7 months after sowing

Tips: prone to damping off
The hardiness and attractive shiny leaves of Coprosma repens (taupata, looking glass plant, mirror plant) have resulted in  dozens of colourful cultivars being bred from it. This plant whose species name means 'creeping' can grow just as happily clinging  to a barren salt-sprayed rock stack as it can as a coastal forest canopy tree up to 8 mtrs tall. This adaptability has led to its classification as an environmental weed in parts of Australia.

Here in Wellington we should be thankful for any plant that stands steadfast in the brunt of a southerly gale with its feet in desert-dry soil! Coastal areas are difficult sites to restore for obvious reasons so the usefulness of this plant can not be understated. It's quick to germinate and grow but like all Coprosma species is prone to damping off when young so avoid keeping it too damp and ensure as much air flow as possible.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 2 - 9 weeks

Pricking out: 2.5 - 6.5 months after sowing

Tips: likely to produce at least a few hybrids in the batch
Coprosma propinqua var. propinqua (mingimingi) is a very common endemic shrub widespread throughout New Zealand in a wide range of habitats. In Wellington it is common all around the coast and on exposed cliffs and hills where it is often wind-sculpted into dense low mounding forms virtually impenetrable to browsing herbivores. In more sheltered habitats though it can grow to a 6 mtr tree. The leaves vary in shape and fruit colour can range from translucent with faint blue speckles to blue or pale yellow.

When growing in association with other Coprosma species it hybridisies readily resulting in a medium leaved shrub. Unlike many hybrid offspring that are sterile, C. lucida x C. propinqua var propinqua (referred to as Coprosma x cunninghamii) can be extremely fertile producing further hybrid forms. Mingimingi (confusingly also the Maori name for Leucopogon, Leptecophylla and Muehlenbeckia astonii) is also one of the few hosts favoured by the native mistletoe, Ileostylus micranthus.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 2 - 5 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 3 months after sowing

Tips: very easy
The family that New Zealand jasmine (Parsonsia heterophylla) belongs to includes exotics such as Oleander, Perriwinkle and Mandevilla and re-examining the flowers and seed pods of these popular garden plants leaves no doubt of the relationship between them. Starting life as a thin twining stem with remarkably variable leaf shapes (hence the name heterophylla), NZ jasmine matures into a soft wooded vine with much stouter, uniform leaves. The slender bean-like pod gradually dries then bursts releasing the seeds. The fluffy tufts attached to the seeds are a clear sign of their wind reliant dispersal and once the pods are ready there is a very short time frame between unripe and gone ! The pods are dark brown when ripe and they will continue and split after collection so can be picked when they start to dry and darken to ensure catching them. This plant is one of the fastest to germinate.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 4 months

Germination: 8 - 16 weeks

Pricking out: 4.5 - 9 months after sowing

Tips: seeds don't store well





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Supplejack (Ripogonum scandens, kareao) is a visually striking feature of lowland bush as its  black twining stems snake through the understory. It is endemic to New Zealand and belongs to a family (Ripogonaceae) whose only members are Ripogonum species found in Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand.  The strong but flexible vines were traditionally used for hinaki (eel traps) and other baskets, fencing, thatching in whare and many other practical uses. Related to the sarsaparilla plant (Smilax), known for a multitude of medicinal properties, kareao root was also boiled for intestinal, fever, joint and skin complaints and for making and flavouring beer !

The large bright red berries of kareao are easy to spot but fruit can be tricky to collect if a strong wind has not 'helped' a vine closer to the ground. Once ripe though, they fall from the vine quite easily so a vigorous shake might get you a few. I love the spotted birds egg look of these seeds and if you're ever wondering what the red fruit is on the ground, the speckled seed inside will tell you instantly.



Flowering

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above: Dendrobium cunninghamii (Winika, pekapeka, Christmas orchid, bamboo orchid)
right: Metrosideros perforata (white rata, akatea)
below left: Lobelia anceps (New Zealand Lobelia, shore Lobelia)
below right: Raoulia glabra (mat daisy)
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below: Veronica (Hebe) parviflora, the largest of the mainland Veronica species reaching up to 7.5 mtrs !
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2 Comments

January

29/1/2017

5 Comments

 
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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 1 - 2 weeks

Pricking out: 1 - 2 months after sowing

Tips: quick and easy
Anthosachne solandri (formerly Elymus, native wheatgrass, blue wheatgrass) belongs to one of the largest plant families in New Zealand, Poaceae, the grasses. There are over 400 grass species here, only half of which are native. Blue wheatgrass is one of six New Zealand endemics in its genus, most of which are outcompeted by introduced grasses and are now at risk in the wild. A. solandri, though slightly more scarce in the upper North, grows all over the country from sea level to about 1500 meters colonising rocky cliffs, river beds and screes as well as tussock lands. Its leaves are variously flat, rolled or folded giving it a slightly limp and wilted look.

Blue wheatgrass is named for its often intensely blue chalky appearance. This chalky coating is epicuticular wax, crystaline projections from the leaf surface that plants make from a range of organic compounds. Their main purpose is water repellency and moisture retention, but they can also confer UV light reflection, self-cleaning and anti-climb properties to the plant surface.

This plant does not tolerate wet or humid climates preferring airy, sunny conditions.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 6 - 8 weeks

Pricking out: 6 - 12 months after sowing. Can be done sooner but they're so small it's hardly worth it

Tips: variable germination
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Carex pumila (sand sedge) is a delightful little coastal plant whose wiry rhizomes creep along under the sand, and for that reason it’s a valuable sand binder in dune ecosystems. Set against the stiff, blue-green curving leaves, are large tear drop shaped seeds coloured various shades of greenish yellow, gold, orange and brown, turning darker brown when ripe and falling away from the stem at a touch.

 Like one of its fiercest competitors, exotic marram grass, sand sedge is able to exploit its rhizomatous nature and extend its range without the need for seed. Some populations around our coast apparently don’t seed at all while others are reliably prolific. This lack of reliance on seed does seem to be reflected in low seed viability and uneven germination rates.

Though Carex pumila's success is reflected in its widespread global distribution, Wellington has very few dune systems left, most lost to development, so it’s not surprising we don't see more of this little ('pumila') gem.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 5 weeks but can take longer

Pricking out: 6 - 9 months after sowing 

Tips: a slow grower, young seedlings sit for a long time before making their first stems
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Apodasmia similis (jointed wire rush, oioi) is a distinctive rush that is happy in a wide range of habitats; wetlands, estuaries, sand dunes and muddy bogs, and for this reason is easy to grow with very little specific care. The seeds will fall easily from the seed heads even when not ripe so have a close look to make sure they have a pale brownish rather than a greenish tinge.

Apodasmia meaning 'separated' refers to the distribution of the genus in Australia, South America and New Zealand reflecting a Gondwanan origin. i.e. along with tuatara, it inhabited Gondwanaland, the supercontinent that up until roughly 130 million years ago when it began to break up, encompassed the entire Southern Hemisphere.

This versatile and resilient plant is incredibly valuable in restoration, purifying water, 
removing toxins and trapping sediment to create and maintain the water-holding ability of bogs and wetlands (as well as resist tidal erosion) and over centuries creates deep layers of peat, the best carbon sink on the planet.

Lived with the dinosaurs, saving the planet, gorgeous in the garden, what's not to love !!!!



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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh or CMS 1 - 2 months

Germination: 3 - 12 weeks

Pricking out: 7 - 8 months after sowing

Tips: ensure good air flow. Avoid regular overhead watering and expect fairly high losses in young seedlings
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Astelia fragrans (bush flax, bush lily, kakaha), is one of about 25 Astelia species found around the Pacific, the genus being centered in New Zealand with 15 endemic species. They inhabit almost all environments, from coast to forest to alpine and display a diverse range of forms from huge flax-like ones to tiny, highly reduced, mat forming species. Kakaha is one of our largest and most common, found throughout the country.

Astelia are unisexual which is why you might notice plants that never fruit. On female plants, the fragrant green-yellow flowers hidden right in the centre of the plant, swell to unmissable bright orange fruits loved by birds. These plants store water in the bases of their leaves making them extremely drought tolerant and they’ll collapse suddenly if over watered or faced with high humidity. Needless to say, keep them on the dry side!

They are slow growers taking their time to establish good roots due to the dual nature of their water storage strategy, so they develop big tops long before big roots. Allow two years from sowing to get a good sized chunky plant.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 2 - 3 weeks

Pricking out: 1 - 2 months after sowing

Tips: very easy
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Horokaka, New Zealand ice plant (Disphyma australe subsp. australe). This little xerophile is happy in the most dry and inhospitable habitats and has evolved a truly brilliant seed dispersal mechanism to cope with the lack of water. The capsule is hygrochastic so when it gets wet, it quickly opens. Show this to the kids its like a magic trick ! The seeds are housed below the star shaped membrane in the centre. Once the capsule is full of water and rain drops continue to land on the thin membrane, the pressure squirts the seeds from the capsule which then closes when it dries out. Not surprisingly, in response to such little water, it is very quick to germinate. It flowers and fruits all year round so can be collected anytime.

Traditionally this plant was used to treat skin in a similar way to aloe vera and both the unripe capsules and leaves are edible, the leaves apparently make very good pickle though I haven't tried this myself !



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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 2 - 3 weeks

Pricking out: 1.5 - 2 months after sowing

Tips: very easy
Like Apodasmia, Muehlenbeckia complexa var. complexa (Small-leaved pohuehue, scrub pohuehue, wire vine) is also of Gondwanan origin. It's extremely easy to grow and is a very important member of the coastal plant community stabilizing land and forming unique habitat. It provides refuge and food for insects such as the beautiful little copper butterfly as well as lizards and birds. It will cover anything (!) including some of our worst weeds like blackberry, as well as the crumbliest of rock faces and ugly wire fences making it a great landscaping plant that lends itself beautifully to complex topiary. If you have a hot dry section this is the plant for you.

Though most fruits develop from the ovary of a flower, Muehlenbeckia fruit is the swollen flower (petals and sepals) which is obvious in its shape. This unique fruit is quite dense and doesn't break down in the same way as many fleshy fruits using the 'sieve mushing' technique, so leaving the fruit to dry before trying to remove the seeds is marginally easier.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 1.5 - 3.5 weeks

Pricking out: 2.5 - 4.5 months after sowing

Tips: very easy. Tolerates very hard pruning
The unique tree Fuchsia (Kotukutuku, Fuchsia excorticata)  is the worlds largest fuchsia and is named for its flaking reddish-brown bark. Found all over Aotearoa this is one of our few deciduous trees dropping most of its leaves in winter. The colourful flowers are either hermaphrodite (these bear the striking bright blue pollen) or female, on different trees (gynodioecious) and arise directly from the branches (ramiflory), or trunk (cauliflory). Fuchsia is another easy one to propagate, even a stray piece of stem dropped to the ground will sprout roots and spring to life on damp soil. The berries are dark reddish purple when ripe (they were once quite popular for making jam) and contain many hundreds of minute seeds.

Germination continues over a period of time so to even it out you can cold moist stratify for a month. I tend to avoid any processing that is not entirely needed and as these seedlings will sit happily in a seed tray for years and still be pricked out with excellent success rates, I just sow the seed fresh after removing from the berries.  Fuchsia  can become very tall and leggy without pruning so give it the best chance at stability by pruning it into bushiness early on.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 8 weeks

Pricking out: 3 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: prone to damping off
There's no more iconic sight than flaxes harakeke (Phormium tenax) and wharariki (Phormium cookianum subsp. hookeri, mountain flax) with tui drawn from miles around for the nectar. Phormium cookianum is usually ready to collect earlier than P. tenax when the seed pods begin to twist and dry but have not yet split. They will split fully after collection spilling out the many seeds which need no other processing.

Flax is well known for its high quality fibre and after a long history of manual production by Maori, European settlement saw an explosion in mechanised flax mills (using predominantly P. tenax) from about the 1860's. The industry boomed in the late 1800's accounting for about 5% of NZ's  main exports. In the early 1900's yellow leaf disease devastated flax populations and after the global depression hit, the industry was crippled by the 1930's . At present yellow leaf disease is sweeping through like a slow fire wiping out huge portions of the population. This bacterial disease is spread easily by leaf hoppers and completely kills the plant so if you have it in your garden the plants need to be removed. Once the disease has run its course, populations will slowly recover.  
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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 3 months or sow fresh

Germination: 8 - 10 weeks

Pricking out: 4.5 - 7 
months after sowing

Tips: loved by leaf roller caterpillars
Pigeonwood (Hedycarya arborea, Porokaiwhiri) a common shade tree in damper soils found throughout the country (with the exception of the lower eastern South Island) is endemic to NZ and the only species in the  Monimiaceae  family that occurs here. Named for being a favoured food of kereru, recent study suggests they may only go for it when nothing more tasty is available, and as it has a long fruiting season, it's not surprisingly a good back up.

This is a reliable restoration tree being easy to propagate and fast growing. The fruit is very dense so a good way to clean it off is to rough up the outer surface and leave to ferment in water till it softens enough to scrub off in a sieve.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 3 - 4 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 2.5
months after sowing

Tips: easy
New Zealand has about 40 native and 10 naturalised species of Poa. Silver tussock (Poa cita) is one of the shorter tussocks common at lower altitudes which, along with Festuca, once made up almost 45% of our native grasslands much of which was a result of burning beech and other forest types by Maori. European settlers quickly discovered the value of these grasslands for grazing, burning off the tussocks and sowing introduced grasses. This practice quickly led to the spread of aggressive introduced weeds and combined with increasing grazing pressure, led early botanists to express their concerns about the threat to lowland tussock diversity.

Silver tussock is a feature of Wellington's coastal and lower montane environments, is super quick and easy to grow and will be happy in spots where nothing else will. As with most grasses check that the seed is a nice light brown colour rather than green before collecting.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: ~ 7 weeks

Pricking out: 8 - 12 
months after sowing

My germination data is not great for this species so could be more variation than I've recorded

Tips: very prone to damping off, prick out once new seedlings have good stem hardiness
Kawakawa (Piper excelsum subsp. excelsum) is well known for its numerous medicinal uses. Traditionally used for almost everything (!) it is still widely used for skin conditions and makes a really delicious tea that is a great general tonic and blood cleanser. The fruit is also delicious, it has a passionfuit taste though I tend to NOT chew the seeds, they're pretty hot !

The leaves are toxic to most herbivores but our native looper caterpillar Cleora scriptaria being immune to the toxins, grazes heavily on the plants sometimes leaving more holes than leaf ! The fruit is made up of the whole inflorescence as the tiny flowers swell and fuse together. The fruit is very soft making the seeds easy to separate.

Previously Macropiper, this genus is now considered more closely related to the rest of the Piper species which include black pepper, Piper nigrum,  and kava, Piper methysticum, and is a huge genus of about 2000 species ! Before you start shaking your fists at these pesky taxonomists, consider one of the functions of taxonomic nomenclature, to reflect evolutionary relationships, so this name now tells a more accurate story of the relationship of the Pacific Piper species to the rest of the pepper plants.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 6 - 7 weeks

Pricking out: 2.5 - 5
months after sowing

Tips: easy. A fast grower at first but a good sized plant takes a couple of years to produce
Aciphylla squarrosa var. squarrosa (Taramea, speargrass, Spaniard) is definitely up there in the 'coolest Wellington plant ever' category. The 38 species of native spear grass (mostly inhabiting alpine areas) announce their presence like few others and here in Wellington they are an iconic feature of the south coast and lower montane areas. They have the clever ability of being able to outcompete grasses by sending up a central spike of stiff leaves that then flatten out, pressing the grasses back out of their way. Sadly this advantage does not protect them from a host of local threats which leave them vulnerable; stock, fire, weed competition and most significantly goat and pig damage. Being a member of the carrot family they have a tasty taproot loved by pigs and the damage they cause uprooting them has to be seen to be believed, it literally looks like a bulldozer has been through!

The story of our local spear grass is incomplete though without the story of Lyperobius huttoni. The entire North Island population of this small native weevil feeds exclusively on Wellington's A. squarrosa population and about 10 years ago was on the brink of extinction with less than 150 weevils left, under further threat from introduced rodents. DOC translocations of the weevil to Mana Island may well have saved them from their dire situation but the future challenge now is to get these two special Wellington residents thriving together on the mainland.

Obviously picking the seeds off the flower stalk is not practical but the seeds will fall off a whole stalk left to dry in a paper bag. The seed stores really well and germination rates are very high so go easy on how thickly you sow.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 3 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 3
months after sowing

Tips: young seedlings damp off easily
Coprosma grandifolia (kanono, manono, large-leaved coprosma, raurekau) like all the large-fruited Coprosma is a much loved bird food and for that reason collections yield better results by covering a few branches with mesh bags to protect the fruit from the birds. The fruits of all Coprosma species are edible and are very soft and juicy making it easy to remove the seeds. You can sow the seeds fresh but I usually opt for a period of cold stratification to kick off a good even germination that makes pricking out large numbers much easier.

Coprosma are found throughout the Pacific but their highest diversity is in New Zealand where they occur in a wide range of forms and environments from sand dunes to mountains to forest understory like C. grandifolia. The leaf domatia visible in this picture in the axils of the leaf veins are a feature of Coprosma species. Domatia (derived from the Latin word for home) occur on many plants hosting a range of inhabitants that are mostly, but not always, mutualistic. In Coprosma they house tiny fungivorous and detritivorous mites that studies have suggested might infer a fitness advantage for these species by reducing fungal pathogens on the leaves.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 3 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 3
months after sowing

Tips: easy
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Poa anceps (Broad-leaved poa) is gaining popularity as a landscape plant for its broad leaves and attractive cascading habit. It is common all over the country in a wide range of habitats along stream and path edges from forest to coast. Its leaf colour varies from bright dark green to bluish forms though it is easily identified once you have your 'eye in' for it.

Flowering

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Dracophyllum filifolium                                                                   Earina eastivalis (bamboo orchid, summer earina)
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above: Selliera radicans (remuremu, bonking grass)


left:
Hoheria sexstylosa (Houhere, lacebark)




below left: Lophomyrus bullata (Ramarama, bubble leaf)

below right: Microtis uniflora (Onion-leaved orchid)

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left: Linum monogynum Rauhuia, NZ true flax, NZ linen flax
5 Comments

December

28/12/2016

6 Comments

 
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Propagate

Pre treatment
: sow fresh

Germination: 1.5 - 3 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 5 months after sowing

Tips: don't bury too deep when pricking out and don't overwater while small
Top left: A. fulvida (toetoe), inside of leaf base glabrous (no hairs) when bent back from where it meets the stem. Right: A. toetoe, hairy on the inside of the leaf base. You can see the leaf colour difference quite well in these pics too, A. toetoe more yellow-green than A. fulvida.
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A. fulvida is one of two species common around Wellington and is the first of the two to flower which is a good way to tell them apart (at least in November and early December). Its generally more delicate looking with slender stems and longer arched flower heads compared to the sturdier more upright flower heads of A. toetoe but when in doubt the pics above show some obvious differences. Toetoe is ready to collect when the seed heads have changed from sleek to fluffy, the stems have turned golden instead of green and the seeds are easily falling out when the head is shaken.

Whatever you do don't confuse either of them with the exotic pampas grass, Cortaderia jubata (pink tinge) and C. selloana which flower roughly in between A. fulvida and A. toetoe and have the give away spiralled dead leaf bases that resemble wood shavings around the base of the clump.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: ~ 4 weeks

Pricking out: 5 - 6 months after sowing

Tips: prick out while still very small
Coriaria sarmentosa, is one of seven species in Aotearoa, all of which are known as tutu. Tutu is best known for its extreme toxicity resulting in higher stock losses than from any other plant. It's also a concern for the honey industry due to toxic honeydew deposited on the petals by other insects being gathered and carried back to the hives by bees.

Despite this high toxicity it was an extremely popular drink historically as the juices of the fleshy 'berries' (like Muehlenbeckia, actually swollen flower parts) are free from the tutin toxin. Juice from the berries was strained and either fermented into wine or mixed with boiled seaweed to make a dark coloured jelly. Other parts of the plant were used in countless topical salves and poultices for cuts, sprains, bruises and many other ailments.

Several Coriaria species are very common in New Zealand and surprisingly poorly known considering their danger. C. sarmentosa is a sprawling low shrub that can cover large areas around Wellington's south coast, clinging to rocky banks and cliffs and producing beautiful, large spikes of almost black fruit. Were it not for its risk to humans and animals alike, we might get to enjoy this attractive plant more widely. It certainly has an important place in our local coastal ecosystem, providing easily accessible juicy fruits in a place where many plants tuck their goods down tightly in the sharp salty winds. 

Because it dies down in winter, dry storing the seed to ensure germination in warmer conditions may increase seedling survival, especially after pricking out.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 2 - 3 weeks

Pricking out: 3 - 4 months after sowing 
Carex flagellifera (Glen Murray tussock, Trip Me Up) is a common sedge found throughout the country and is similar in appearance to other thin-leaved sedges. Preferring light shade it inhabits coastal to montane areas in open bush and scrub. It's very quick and easy to grow so is a great filler and weed suppressor for more open sites. The seed stalks can reach an incredible 2 - 3 meters in length (!), trailing out along the ground and absolutely true to the name 'tirp-me-up'.
 
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Propagate

Pre treatment
: remove fruit, dry and sow

Germination: 4 months

Pricking out: 6 - 10 months after sowing 

Tips: variable germination time but very easy to grow once up
Tetragonia implexicoma (native spinach) is easily distinguished from the other, more palatable but now at risk Tetragonia tetragonoides (kokihi, New Zealand spinach, tutae-ikamoana), by the bright pink fleshy berries. This plant is common around the coast but will grow in any suitable sunny spot. Though it looks fairly scraggly in the wild, when given slightly more favourable conditions it can be a really attractive ground cover for a hot dry spot.

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Propagate

Pre treatment
: sow fresh

Germination: ~ 6 weeks

Pricking out: I got one plant from the sowing and divided it into several once big enough

Tips: prefers very dry habitats and will not cope with overwatering though its deep roots need to reach moisture and not get too hot. Mix extra pumice or sand into the growing media
Raoulia hookeri var. hookeri (Scabweed, scabweed mat daisy) a real cutie common around the rocky coast though this genus is more commonly a feature of alpine environments. Raoulia is only found in New Zealand and has diversified into over 20 species all with the distinct mat forming growth habit.  Its a daisy (Asteraceae family) like Brachyglottis and Olearia, the tree daisies, and shares the same low seed viability so don't expect a wonderful strike rate.

The seed heads are those small balls of fluff on the top of the mat. Like most mat forming and ground cover plants Raoulia  is easy to propagate from divisions because it sprouts roots from the stems as it spreads so you just cut off a small section with roots  and plant it. The down side of divisions (or any type of cutting) is that there is no genetic variation so its always preferable to grow from seed.


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Propagate

Pre treatment
: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 8 months

Pricking out: 11 - 12 months after sowing

Tips: though they grow up into the sun these need cool roots at all times
See November post for an image of Clematis forsteri (Forster's clematis) in flower, its smaller yellowish flowers are easily distinguished from C. paniculata (white clematis, puawananga), which has large very white flowers and stands out as bright white patches in trees in early spring. C. afoliata you're not likely to see unless you visit the one rather out of the way spot where it grows. 

These all have a surprisingly long seed maturation period, they slowly turn fluffy then sit on the seed head for what seems like forever. Don't be tempted to pick them too early, seeds disperse when they're ready and this one is dispersed by wind so they should be dry and brown like the ones above and come away very easily when grasped.


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Propagate

Pre treatment
: sow fresh

Germination: 4 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 5 months after sowing

Tips: very easy
Plagianthus divaricatus (maakaka, Salt marsh ribbonwood, marsh ribbonwood) is a dense interlacing shrub that is a valuable salt marsh restoration plant. It tolerates wet salty soil and  salt winds and its quick and easy to grow. The small sweetly scented flowers are followed by a dry capsule that will germinate readily even when picked quite green i.e. before the dry papery covering of the capsule flakes away. They can suffer badly from seed predating insects so check for the small holes in the seeds before sowing to avoid disappointment. 

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Propagate

Pre treatment
: sow fresh but seed stores well if needed

Germination: 4 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 5 months after sowing

Tips: very easy from seed and takes well from cuttings too
Sadly Euphorbia glauca (waiu-atua, shore spurge, sea spurge, sand milkweed) is declining nationally in the wild due largely to habitat loss and the resulting vulnerability of smaller more fragmented populations. Current Wellington populations having gone extinct, have been established entirely through restoration. This plant is easy and quick to grow from seed which is ready when the capsule turns pale brown like the one in the very centre of the picture above. When the capsules dry out they will pop on their own, flinging out the dark grey seeds.

Like several of our most threatened species it is very popular in home gardens for its striking grey foliage and red flowers and is happy in most open situations.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 2 - 3 months

Germination: 2 - 6 months

Pricking out: 6.5 - 7 months after sowing

Tips: These are slow growers so allow at least a couple of years between pricking out and planting out
Myrsine australis (Red mapou, red matipo, mapau, red maple), is a very successful coloniser and therefore a top restoration plant. It is tolerant of very poor, dry soils and wind and at the same time manages to produce big juicy fruit loved by birds (the female trees that is, this species is dioecious, having separate male and female trees). However the fruit are also loved by weevils so if you're collecting what's left after the birds have been through, be sure to discard the ones that float in water after washing the fruit off. Weevil predation can account for the loss of 30 - 50% of the seeds ! On the up side there is a long fruiting season, I've collected these any time between December and April.


Flowering

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Northern rata (Metrosideros robusta) meaning 'sturdy iron heart', an absolute stunner at this time of year. Tell it apart from pohutukawa by its more orange rather than deep red flowers, its more yellowish green leaves rather than silvery blue green, and up close, the small apical notch in the tip of the smaller leaf.
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Pennantia corymbosa (kaikomako), the bold creamy flowers that take over the show from Parsonsia will be followed by black berries.
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above: Carpodetus serratus (putaputeweta, marbleleaf)
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above: Carmichaelia australis (common broom)


right:
Apium prostratum subsp. prostratum var. filiforme (NZ celery)
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above: Samolus repens var. repens (Sea primrose, shore pimpernel, water pimpernel)
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above: Pimelea prostrata subsp. seismica (NZ Daphne, pinatoro)
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6 Comments

June

30/6/2016

3 Comments

 
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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: ~ 3 months

Pricking out: ~ 6 months after sowing

Tips: seedlings prone to fungal attack. Seed does not store
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Kohekohe (Dysoxylum spectabile, New Zealand mahogany) is one of our most enchanting trees. As winter sets in it produces huge sprays of creamy blooms directly from the trunk (cauliflory), alongside huge drooping clusters of fruit, set from last winters flowers.

Kohekohe is the only representative of its family found here. Though Dysoxylum its a fairly large genus of about 75 species, the rest are found in warmer regions of Asia and the Pacific. The seemingly miraculous feature of flowering and fruiting directly from mature wood is unusual in Aotearoa but not so in tropical regions where lush, dense vegetation might inhibit the ability of pollinators and dispersers to locate them. Producing flowers from the trunk means they're much easier to see and access, so will be visited more.

Kohekohe is not found very far inland but is also not tolerant of the full brunt of coastal salt and wind so is happy in that next layer in behind hardier species and is extremely shade tolerant. Dysoxylum = foul-smelling wood and spectabile = showy, smelly but showy .... could be worse !

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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 1 - 3 months

Germination: 3 - 7 weeks

Pricking out: 3 - 4 months after sowing

Tips: easy but avoid overwatering
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Raukaua anomala was previously classified as Pseudopanax and a close look at the fruit reveals their similarity.  There's lots of things about this little shrub that really appeal to me. It grows in some very exposed and inhospitable spots, so has that hunker-down tenacity that I love. Its interlacing zig-zag structure is so striking due to the thickness of its twigs, and deep inside it produces small, purple-speckled fruit the texture of marshmallows. It's not at all difficult to propagate if you're keen enough to embark on the surgical procedure of extracting the fruit from the plant!



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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 2 - 6 months and erratic

Pricking out: 1 - 2 years

Tips: once it finally germinates its easy but is very slow in the early stages. Responds well to fertilizing after germination to speed that stage up a bit
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Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (kuawa) is a large sedge (with a large name !) disguised as a large rush, similar in appearance to Juncus pallidus discussed next. Its a lake and stream edge plant that inhabits standing water and is found throughout the world.

The seed heads look like enlarged Ficinia nodosa (wiwi) seed heads but with stalks. If you're trying to distinguish it from a rush, peel back the outer stem to reveal the pith, it has cross walls with the appearance of brick work. 

The small shiny nuts fall easily from the seed head when rubbed, but because they ripen slowly and stay in the seed head for so long collection could shorten essential ripening time, so I suspect germination might improve with a period in dry storage before sowing. 
The erratic germination I've experienced with this species is why the easiest means of propagation is by division of the spreading clumps. It's as simple as shaking off the soil and snipping away a shoot (or several) from the rooted rhizome.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 6 - 8 weeks

Pricking out: 2.5 - 3 months after sowing

Tips: easy
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Juncus pallidus (giant rush, leafless rush) is a true rush in the family Juncaceae and another example of a genus whose native members are outnumbered two to one by exotics. Juncus species typically inhabit wet areas like ditches, bogs and estuaries and are common in disturbed habitats and damp pasture. There are 17 native species, some of which are very tricky to distinguish from exotics and from each other due to their variable characters. Juncus pallidus is easy to identify by its size, smooth bright green soft stems that split easily, and its continuous pith.

Like other rhizomatous plants Juncus is easy to propagate by division but is also very easy from seed. There are numerous  tiny seeds in each head and June is about the end of its season.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: CMS 1- 3 months

Germination: 6 weeks

Pricking out: 3.5 months after sowing

Tips: easy but slow growing
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Lancewood (horoeka, Pseudopanax crassifolius) is one of our most iconic trees largely due to its distinctive and markedly different  appearance from juvenile to adult. Not surprisingly this led early European botanists to regard these stages as different species.

The single-stemmed juvenile stage can persist for about 15 years before it starts to branch and produce flowers and fruit.
Moa have been proposed as the driving force for this prolonged  juvenile stage with its tough, less visible leaves. Once above the height where moa could browse easily the tree develops its softer, green adult leaves. Though difficult to test, feeding trials with emu have lent some credence to the hypothesis.
Further studies on the moa browse hypothesis using Coprosma species show the chemicals that relate to deliciousness, are higher in the divaricating forms, thus forcing them to evolve growth habits to protect themselves from this huge and abundant herbivore.

Pseudopanax is a fairly small genus found in South America, New Caledonia, China and New Zealand  with about a dozen endemic species occuring here. They belong to the family Araliaceae which includes Ivy and many other groups with flowers arranged in umbels. Other members of the family in Aotearoa are Schefflera (pate), Mertya (puka), and herbs Hydrocotyle and Stilbocarpa one of our off shore island 'mega herbs'.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: ~ 5 weeks

Pricking out: ~ 3 months after sowing

Tips: easy. Seed viability drops quickly so only collect what you plan to sow
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Rewarewa (NZ honeysuckle, Knightia excelsa) is one of only two members of the Proteaceae family in New Zealand, the other being Toronia toro. The family is large and abundant in Western Australia and South Africa, but go back to prehistoric times and the pollen record shows proteas were far more numerous here as well. Though still cool and damp at the end of the Palaeocene (dominated by ferns, podocarps and areas of southern beech), temperatures increased in the next geological epoch (Eocene) providing the opportunity for warm climate plants. The drop in temperature from the start to the end of the Eocene (55 - 34 mya) then marked the transition from this diverse range of subtropical she-oaks and proteas, to a southern beech dominated forest more characteristic of New Zealand today.

Rewarewa still prefers the warmer parts of the country being confined to the North Island apart from lowland Marlborough Sounds in the South. Though it inhabits established podocarp / hardwood forest, rewarewa needs lots of light so is more abundant as an early coloniser of regenerating forest. Its fast growing, wind hardy nature makes it a great restoration species.

You may remember Knightia flowering back in November so it's a slow seed set! Once the pods open the seeds are quickly released on the wind aided by a single wing, and seem to virtually disappear into the undergrowth so don't muck around if you want some. Pods from the previous year remain on the tree but fade to a pale grey compared to the red-brown of the fresh ones.


Flowering

Flowers of a male five finger (Pseudopanax arboreus) starting to open.
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Another plug for kohekohe, whatever you do don't miss the opportunity to see it in full flower and fruit. The Botanic Gardens is a great place to see them easily in all their glory. Its well worth braving the cold !
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                                                  Photo by Tara Heeran-Harris
3 Comments

November

29/11/2015

3 Comments

 
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Propagate

Pre treatment: none needed but 1 - 3 months cold moist stratification (CMS) evens out germination


Germination: 4 - 12 weeks

Pricking out: 4 - 8 months after sowing

Tips: prone to Damping off 
At a quiet time for seed collection the stunning dark purple, almost black fruit of Pseudopanax arboreus (whauwhaupaku, five finger) is in various stages of ripeness. The dark colour of the fruit looks so promising from a distance but more often than not, on closer inspection, is still just slowly creeping towards ripeness.  I use my thumbnail to test a sample of fruit, if it hits the hard seed without passing right through, there's likely some good ripe seed.
The fruit can be quite tough so I usually rough it up a bit with some hard sand and leave it moist for a while to ferment and soften up, then scrub the fruit off and keep the seeds that sink, its usually a good sign of ripe/mature seed.

The seedlings are awfully prone to damping off so make sure they don't stay too wet and let them get to a decent size before pricking out so they can harden up a bit.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: none needed but CMS 6 weeks will help

Germination: 7 - 12 weeks

Pricking out: 8 - 11 months after sowing

Tips: Doesn't do well when pricked out too young or in cold weather

Carpodetus serratus, (putaputaweta or marble leaf) is another of the few species in fruit right now and for that very reason, good luck beating the birds to them! The fruits ripen  one at a time (almost literally), I've bagged a few branches with bags made of frost cloth to ensure I get the few fruits needed for the following years reveg season, they turn black when ripe and can be rolled in your fingers to release the many seeds that come away without any fruit residue due to their shiny seed coat.
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Putaputaweta is endemic to New Zealand and is the only species in the Rousseaceae family in our native flora. It gets its Maori name from the weta jumping out of their hiding places in the  branches (burrows made by pururi caterpillars) when tossed on a fire. The native puriri moth (Aenetus virescens) caterlillars that favour a number of native and exotic trees, burrow into the trunk and feed on the cambium (that's after they have spent their very first life stage feeding on fungi). They cover the burrow entrance with a silky web fashioned to look like a knot in the wood!

The galls that Carpodetus are often covered in (pictured at top) are host to a whole succession of occupants. The lavae of the midge that causes the gall is parasitized by four different species of Hymenoptera (the group that includes, bees, ants and wasps), then later the dying gall tissue is used as a breeding site by weevils.


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Propagate

Pre treatment: sow fresh

Germination: 1.5 - 6 weeks

Pricking out: 2 - 5 months but ongoing up to 12

Tips: mostly easy but once it dries out its done for, it doesn't wilt and bounce back like many species

One of our most widespread and best known natives manuka (Leptospermum scoparium var. scoparium), a hugely popular garden plant with a countless variety of cultivars, can be collected almost all year round so its a good one to target in the 'off' season. Each capsule contains many hundreds of tiny hair-like seeds so even taking a small stem is plenty. You can see when the capsules are ready to burst by the thin glint of copper at the joins between the locules shown above. Put them in a paper bag to continue opening and fully dry out then sow them as soon as possible, they don't have a long shelf life.

If you're wondering is it manuka or is it kanuka (Kunzea robusta), the obvious differences are; manuka has large single flowers and hard rounded capsules with bulging lids, kanuka has clusters of much smaller flowers and soft capsules with sunken lids; manuka has pricklier leaves and is a smaller growing tree so the great big ones you see will be kanuka.

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Propagate

Pre treatment: 1 month CMS will even out germination but can stay in CMS for several months if you want as the seeds don't have a great shelf life

Germination: 4 weeks - 1 year +

Pricking out: 5 - 12 months (+) after sowing

Tips: Let them get to decent size (~2cm) before pricking out and do so in the warmer months

Rangiora (Brachyglottis repanda, bushman's toilet paper, bushman's friend) is one of over 30 species of native Brachyglottis, almost half of which are uncommon or at some level of risk in the wild. Its large fluffy flower heads are loved by bees and butterflies and though its a great coloniser it can be a bit tricky to propagate from seed. Like most Asteraceae the viability of its seeds is pretty low but it makes a massive amount of them so when they're all fluffy and easily falling off, stuff the flower head inside a paper bag and shake them off. Sow really thickly to get a good strike.

If you want lots at once the cold moist stratification will even out the germination but sometimes its quite handy to have seedlings coming up over a period of time so you don't have more than you can deal with. Sown fresh these seeds will keep germinating in your seed tray for a year or more so you can have several years worth from the one tray.

Flowering

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                                                                 Parsonsia heterophylla (kaihua, NZ jasmine)
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Knightia excelsa (rewarewa, NZ honeysuckle)

left: Fuchsia excorticata (kotukutuku, tree fuchsia)

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                                           Pseudowintera axillaris (Lowland horopito, lowland pepper tree)
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  Clematis forsteri (Forster's clematis)                                        Anaphalioides trinervis
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Acaena anserinifolia (Bidibid, hutiwai, piripiri)                          Aciphylla squarrosa (Taramea, speargrass,Spaniard)
This little bidibidi earned a special mention for its opportunistic use of its neighbouring shrub for height, light and warmth. They are galloping across a scrubby pasture near you and will grab the attention of your sock later in the season !
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Pterostylis ...ummmmm... banksii ? (Tutukiwi, Greenhood)

Not one on the propagation schedule but these stunning little orchids are lining bush tracks all over the place so keep your eyes peeled !

3 Comments

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