Tree of the Month – October 2016

(By Jo Halley)

Kotukutuku   Tree Fuchsia     Fuchsia excorticata

Our native tree fuchsia is the largest fuchsia in the world. It is one of the few native NZ trees that loses its leaves in winter, apart from in warm northern regions.

Kotukutuku has small hanging typical fuchsia flowers in spring. They develop from green through purple to red as they open, and have amazing “electric” blue pollen. Tui and bellbirds visit the flowers for their nectar. Pollen sticks to the birds heads, and is collected by honeybees for rearing their brood in the hive.

The fruit that ripens in summer has its own name, konini. It ripens from green to black, is oval shaped and up to 1.5cm long. It is relished by the birds, especially kereru, and is quite edible. Maori have long enjoyed the sweet juicy konini berries, and settlers made it into jam.

Tree fuchsia has very attractive reddish-brown bark, which peels away from the trunk and hangs in shaggy strips. During winter the bare branches stand out against the evergreen bush alongside road and stream margins.

The leaves are long and soft, up to 10cm, and slightly droopy, and feel thin and tender. They colour up to yellow in the autumn before they fall. Usually the tree grows up to about 6m, but can reach 12m, and is wide spreading.

Fuchsia wood is very twisted and gnarly, durable and fire-resistant. The old bushmen called it the bucket of water tree, owing to its unsuitability for firewood.

Kotukutuku is well worth growing to attract the birds, as it is such a valuable food source, producing leaves, fruit and nectar at different times of the year. It is reasonably fast growing when young, and doesn’t take up a lot of room. It likes a lightly shaded, sheltered spot with average soil.