kanono with bright orange berries loved by forest birds

Size
Height: 4–6 m, Spread: 2–4 m, can reach 8 m
Lifespan
50–80 years
Diet
Not applicable (shrub/small tree). Photosynthetic.
Habitat
Moist, sheltered sites in lowland and montane forests. Prefers fertile, well-drained soils with partial shade. Often found in regenerating areas and along logging roads. Requires damp conditions.
Range
North Island and northern South Island. Most common in lowland and montane forests. In the eastern South Island, restricted to Marlborough. Not found south of Lake Ianthe in the west.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
Habitat loss from land clearance is the primary threat. Browsing by introduced possums and deer. No significant pest or disease issues. Protection of lowland forest is critical for survival.
Population
Populations are considered stable in remaining forest fragments. The species is common in moist lowland forests throughout its range. It is threatened by ongoing habitat loss and browsing by possums.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Karamū gets all the attention. Kanono is its quieter, wetter cousin. Looks very similar to karamū but has more upright branches and larger leaves that are mottled yellow-green. The leaves can reach 15 to 20 centimetres in length and 7 to 10 centimetres in width, making them among the largest of any Coprosma species. Unlike karamū, which flowers in spring, kanono flowers in autumn. The small, insignificant flowers are followed by masses of showy berries. A plant that saves its display for the end. The leaves are opposite, with a glossy upper surface and a paler, often mottled underside. The mottling is caused by irregular pigmentation, giving the leaves a distinctive appearance. The leaf margins are finely toothed. The stems are stout and smooth, with dark grey bark. Not its best angle, but the berries make up for it. Kanono favours more moist and sheltered sites than karamū. It is found in damp gullies, along stream banks, and in the shade of larger trees. It is less tolerant of drought and exposure than its more common relative. A plant that knows it needs water. The berries are orange-red, similar to those of karamū, but they ripen later in the season. They are an important food source for birds in autumn and winter, when other fruits are scarce. The seeds are dispersed by kererū, tūī, and bellbirds. A plant that feeds the forest when food is hard to find. Kanono is less common in cultivation than karamū, but it is a valuable plant for restoration projects in damp, shaded sites. It provides food for birds and adds diversity to the forest understorey. Walk into a damp gully. Look for the large mottled leaves, the orange-red berries. The birds are feeding. The berries are disappearing. The kanono does not mind. That is the point. It grows in the wet places, feeds the birds, and asks for nothing but damp ground. And that seems to be enough.