Often a dome shaped tree, ngaio has a trunk about 30 cetimetres in diameter with rough and furrowed bark. Its delicate flowers are white spotted with purple and occur from mid-spring to mid-summer.

How tall do Ngaio grow?

Ngaio is a small, fast-growing tree that grows to a height of about 10m and forms a spreading canopy with a stout trunk up to 30cm in diameter. It is a very hardy plant that is drought, salt and wind tolerant. Ngaio's leaves are bright green and fleshy.

Is Ngaio an evergreen?

Description. Ngaio is a fast-growing evergreen shrub or small tree which sometimes grows to a height of 10 metres (30 ft) with a trunk up to 0.3 metres (1 ft) in diameter, or spreads to as much as 4 metres (10 ft).

Can you eat Ngaio berries?

Ngaio had a number of medicinal uses as well. The leaf buds were chewed to help soothe the stomach after eating bad mussels. ... The berries were also sometimes eaten, but are now known to contain Ngaione.

How do you grow Ngaio?

Ngaio can be propagated easily from seed or cuttings and are fast to establish, even in salty areas. As with all plants they will establish more quickly if the roots have an easy job of finding nutrients and water. Disturbed soil is best as the lack of compaction permits the roots to grow and spread quickly.

When Did the First Flower Bloom?

15 related questions found

Is a Ngaio tree poisonous?

Toxic native plants

The karaka tree and poroporo shrub also have poisonous berries, and the ngaio tree has poisonous leaves. The two native species that have killed people are: Tree tutu: all parts of this small tree are poisonous. Even circus elephants have been poisoned by eating tutu.

What is the meaning Ngaio?

Ngaio Origin and Meaning

The name Ngaio is a girl's name of Maori origin meaning "reflections on the water". ... It is the name of a tree indigenous to New Zealand, also called the Mousehole Tree.

What is the most poisonous plant in NZ?

Death cap (Amanita phalloides) is New Zealand's most poisonous toadstool – and one of the most poisonous fungi known.

Are there any poisonous plants in New Zealand?

Tree tutu and ongaonga or tree nettle are the only New Zealand native plants known to have killed humans by poisoning.

Are NZ lilies poisonous?

Known variously as calla or arum lily, this plant grows throughout New Zealand. It is commonly seen growing wild around abandoned homes. Coloured forms are grown for the cut-flower trade. All parts are poisonous, including the ripe spike of berries in the middle of the flower.

What flowers have big leaves?

Big Leaf Outdoor Plants

• Giant Rhubarb. Botanical Name: Gunnera manicata. ...
• Giant Silver Mullein. Botanical Name: Verbascum bombyciferum. ...
• Umbrella Plant. Botanical Name: Darmera peltata. ...
• Rodgersias. Botanical Name: Rodgersia spp. ...
• Flowering Sea Kale. Botanical Name: Crambe cordifolia. ...
• Ligularias. ...
• Hostas. ...
• Banana.

Does NZ have poison ivy?

Toxicodendron succedaneum (Rhus tree), New Zealand's poison ivy.

What happens if you eat Daphne berries?

Ingestion of 1 or 2 berries may cause a stomach upset. Larger amounts may result in more severe symptoms including irritation to the mouth and throat, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and lethargy. ... Ingestion: Rinse out mouth and drink a glass of water. Contact the Poison Control Centre.

Do we have poison ivy in NZ?

Fortunately they rarely grow in New Zealand, eg. poison ivy (T. radicans), from North America and Chinese lacquer tree (T. ... in many parts of New Zealand staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is commonly grown.

What is Cape tulip?

Cape tulip is the common name applied to two toxic plants native to South Africa. These are the one-leaf Cape tulip (Moraea flaccida, formerly known as Homeria flaccida) and the two-leaf Cape tulip (M. miniata, formerly known as H. miniata). ... One-leaf Cape tulip is also found in Tasmania and New Zealand.

Are agapanthus poisonous NZ?

Agapanthus, low maintenance to look after but highly toxic if eaten. You may not be familiar with the name but if you've ever been on a motorway somewhere in New Zealand, you'll no doubt recognise the hallmark flower heads.

What kind of name is Ngaio?

The name Ngaio is a girl's name meaning “clever” and is of Maori origin.

Are Mahoe berries poisonous?

They are not known to be edible to humans, and there is no record of their use by either Māori or Pākehā.

What plants are poisonous to cattle in NZ?

Lily of the Valley tree is in the same family as Rhododendron which is well known to be toxic to sheep, goats and cattle. Other poisonous plants which are common in gardens and toxic to sheep and cattle include Oleander, Azalea, Castor Bean Tree, Foxgloves, Cestrum, Camelia and many more.

Where does Tutu grow?

Tutu, Coriaria arborea

A plant that has attracted much attention because of its poisonous properties is tutu, a shrub growing, at most, to a height of about 20 ft. It occurs in shrubland and in open places in coastal and montane forest throughout New Zealand and the Chatham Islands.

Can touching foxglove leaves cause poisoning?

Foxgloves are poisonous to touch and although you may not experience a reaction, you could easily transfer the toxins to your eyes, mouth or an open wound. Always wear gloves when handling foxgloves.

What's poisonous in New Zealand?

New Zealand has no harmful animals like venomous snakes, scorpions or venomous insects, so its sole venomous native spider – the rare katipō – has almost mythical status. Since the late 19th century there have been accidental introductions of the venomous redback and white-tailed spiders from Australia.

Is there stinging nettles in NZ?

Stinging nettle is a common weed. It's found in gardens, waste areas, near where animals live, and around moist areas such as creeks. In New Zealand there are 3 species: the native ongaonga (giant tree nettle), and 2 introduced varieties.