Kowhai
Threat Status : |
Non Threatened |
Species : |
Sophora chathamica |
Species Authority : |
Sophora chathamica Cockayne |
Qualifier : |
|
Threat Category : |
Not threatened |
Family : |
Fabaceae |
*Common Name : |
Kowhai, coastal kowhai |
Distribution : |
Endemic. A primarily coastal species known from North, South and Chatham Islands but probably only indigenous to the northern half of the North Island, where it is common in the west from the Tongaporutu River to Te Paki. In the east it is abundant south to about Thames, so far it has not been reported south and east of there. Very common around Auckland, the Hauraki Gulf and from Port Waikato south to Kawhia. There are some inland occurrences in the lower Waikato Basin. Disjunct occurrences around Wellington, the Chatham Islands and Whanganui Inlet may result from deliberate plantings by the Maori. |
Habitat : |
Primarily a species of coastal forest, often on cliff faces or banks overlooking estuarine rivers or inlets. Occasionally found in swamp forest. |
Features : |
Tree up to 20 m tall, with one or more trunks. Branches spreading to upright. Juveniles weakly flexuose. Leaves on seedlings and juveniles moderately to densely leafy, 4.4-9 x 4.4-7.5 mm, orbicular to very broadly obovate, crowded, usually overlapping. Adult leaves up to 150 mm long, imparipinnate, usually pubescent, hairs, straight, appressed. Leaflets 25-55, crowded and overlapping, 6-16 x 4-8 mm, broadly elliptic, broadly obovate, broadly ovate, obovate to orbicular, distal leaflets usually smaller than proximal. Inflorescences racemose with up to 11 flowers. Calyx 8-10 x 10-13 mm, cupulate. Flowers yellow, keel petal blade 29-43 x 9-11 mm, wing petal blade 25-42 x 9-11 mm, standard petal blade 25-34 x 20-25 mm; petals with distinct claws 4-6 mm long. Fruit 50-180 mm long, 4-winged, brown, with up to 12 seeds. Seeds 5.5-8 x 4.-5. mm, oblong, elliptic to orbicular, yellow to light yellow-brown. |
Similar Species : |
Distinguished from all other Kowhai species by the absence of a divaricating/filiramulate juvenile stage; with leaflets 6-16 x 4-8 mm; and by the distal leaflets usually smaller than proximal, crowded and overlapping (especially toward distal end), with leaflets broadly elliptic, broadly obovate, broadly ovate, obovate to more or less orbicular, with all parts moderately hairy. |
Flowering : |
August-November |
Fruiting : |
October-September |
Alternative Names : |
Sophora microphylla microphylla var. chathamica (Cockayne) Yakolev |
Propagation Technique : |
Easy from seed, provided the hard seed shell is nicked first with a knife or rubbed with sandpaper to expose the endosperm. Soaking seed treated this way overnight often helps speed up germination. Can be grown with difficulty from cuttings. |
Threats : |
The main threat that faces all wild New Zealand kowhai species is the risk posed through planting for revegetation and horticultural purposes of hybrid material, foreign species, such as the Chilean Pelu (S. cassioides) and also of kowhai species outside their natural range. However, S. chathamica seems to be very common throughout its range, and is adequately protected within a range of reserves and land set aside for conservation purposes. The nativity of the Chatham Island populations is not clear, and though assumed to be planted by Maori, because this assertion needs further study and the trees are culturally significant they require direct management. Few (if any Chatham Island) plants can be said to exist in truly secure habitats. |
Where to Buy : |
Commonly available at most commercial nurseries. A popular native tree for larger gardens. Very commonly sold in garden centres, where it is often sold as either S. microphylla or S. tetraptera. Some plants with a superficial resemblance to S. chathamica and offered by nurseries usually as S. microphylla or S. tetraptera have, upon closer inspection, turned out to be the closely related Chilean pelu (S. cassioides). |
|
* Please note that Common Names are not standardised. |
The Kowhai New Zealand's National Flower by Alan Jolliffe
If there is one flowering plant
that New Zealanders call their
National Flower it is the Kowhai.
It grows naturally throughout the
dryer areas of New Zealand and
because it is so popular it is
planted in almost every garden.
There are however 2 main species
of Kowhai. Sophora tetraptera,
North Island Kowhai and Sophora
microphylla, South Island Kowhai.
Where these plant grow side by
side in the wild natural hybrids
also exist. Many hybrids have occurred
in gardens as well. Additionally
there are 2 naturally occurring
varieties of S. micropyhlla and
numerous forms, some of which have
been named.
The North Island Kowhai, Sophora
tetraptera is the easiest to grow
and fastest to flower when grown
from seed. It is probably the most
commonly available in the
Nursery industry.
As a garden plant the North Island
Kowhai is excellent. With its fast
upright growth it is ready to flower
in 3-5 years. It does not go through
all the twiggy juvenile stages
of other Kowhais. It is easy to
grow and will succeed in almost
all garden situations. It will
reach a height of 4-6m with a trunk
diameter of 30-60cm.
In the wild S. tetraptera grows
naturally along forest margins,
in lowlands and hill country and
alongside streams. Its natural
altitude range is from sea level
to 450 metres.
Often described as an evergreen
tree it losses all its leaves for
a very short period each year.
In spring all the old leaves drop
off as the new leaf buds break
and develop into new branchlets.
All the old leaves are replaced
to provide a fresh green look.
The leaves are divided along the
mid rib into a number of leaflets.
Each leaflet is oval shaped 25-30mm
long and 5-7mm wide. It creates
a feathery look. The new young
branchlets and young foliage covered
with dense silky hairs which are
smooth to touch.
The most distinctive feature is
its flower. Each spring the large
bright yellow flowers appear in
pendulous clusters of 5-7 on naked
branches. These showy clusters
appear in great profusion. Individual
flowers are up to 6cm long and
the colour is a golden sulphur
yellow. The calyx, which holds
the petals in place, is a yellowish/green
colour that adds further colour
to the flowers.
Tuis and bellbirds love these flowers
and visit them to drink the sweet
nectar. Unfortunately these birds,
in their haste, tear the flowers
to pieces.
Following flowering seed pods are
produced. These 4 winged pods house
a single seed in specially constructed
compartments. Each pod may have
up to 8 seeds. When mature the
seeds may be gathered and sown
quickly to ensure they germinate.
Pests and diseases include the
Kowhai moth whose larvae eat the
leaves and the seeds. Scale insects
may invade the Kowhai and they
are easily controlled by spraying
with all seasons spraying oil.
The Kowhai is the best known NZ
Native flowering tree and one of
the most beautiful. As a small
tree it is excellent in many small
gardens where light foliage cover
is required and a burst of colour
in spring when it smothers itself
with blooms.
The botanical/Latin name has the
following meanings. Sophora is
an Arabian name for a tree with
pea shaped flowers and tetraptera
means 4 winged seed. Previously
it was included in the genus Edwardia.
Kowhai is the Maori name and means
yellow.
Maori also recognised the Kowhai
as an important plant. Its medicinal
properties were explored by the
Maori and poultices were made from
bark and applied to wounds and
tumours. An infusion of barks (a
tea) from the Kowhai and manuka
was used to treat internal pain,
bruises and broken limbs. Wood
ash from the Kowhai was used to
treat ringworm.
The Maori are said to have regulated
the planting of potatoes by the
flowering time of the Kowhai.
The wood of the Kowhai is valuable
as is it is very durable. Logs
have been used straight from the
bush and used in construction without
any special treatment.
As an individual tree the Kowhai
is a superb garden plant. It is
small enough for even the smallest
of gardens but it is large enough
to make an impact. As a garden
tree there is none better in spring.
In the larger landscape the Kowhai
makes a big success. Mass plantings
of Kowhai make a tremendous impact
on the scenery. This can best be
seen in some of the naturally occurring
stands in the Rangitiki area of
the North Island.
Plantings of the Kowhai should
be encouraged throughout NZ and
in other places around the world
to ensure this icon of New Zealand
plants is able to show us its best
each spring.
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