Pūriri
A large, long-lived forest tree flowering almost year-round with pink-red tubular blooms that feed tūī and bellbird, followed by red berries that are a major kererū food source. Be realistic about mature size: it typically reaches 10-20m with a broad spreading canopy, so it's a specimen for a larger property rather than a small section. Naturally restricted to the North Island and frost-tender when young, so no South Island planting window is listed. Watch for the native pūriri moth, whose grub bores into the trunk (the resulting hole is a well-known natural feature, not usually fatal to a mature tree).
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- low
- Spacing
- 500cm
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman
- Mature height
- 20m
- Flowering season
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
- Attracts wildlife
- Tūī, Kererū, Bellbird/korimako
- Evergreen
- Yes
- Common pests
- Pūriri moth (grub bores trunk)
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: March-April and September-November. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: September-November.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentFirst few months
- Frost-tender when young, so protect through the first winters - naturally restricted to the North Island, which is why no South Island planting window is listed
- Full sun position needed for good growth
- Water regularly through the first year or two while roots establish
Early growthFirst 1-2 years
- Choose the site carefully - this becomes a large tree with a broad spreading canopy, 10-20m at maturity
- Low water need develops once established, despite the tree's eventual large size
FloweringYear-round
- Pink-red tubular flowers appear almost continuously, feeding tūī and bellbird
- Flowers are followed by red berries, a major food source for kererū
Maturity
- Watch for the native pūriri moth, whose grub bores into the trunk - the resulting hole is a well-known natural feature, not usually fatal to a mature tree
- Red berries continue to be a major kererū food source
- Broad, spreading canopy provides shelter for tūī, kererū and bellbird