tangles through the lowland coastal scrub
- Size
- Length: 1000 cm
- Lifespan
- 20–40 years
- Diet
- Not applicable (vine). Photosynthetic climber.
- Habitat
- Coastal and lowland forests, forest margins, scrub and disturbed areas. Prefers fertile, well-drained soils with good light. Often forms dense tangles along forest edges and in regenerating bush. Tolerates salt spray and wind.
- Range
- Throughout New Zealand from Northland to Stewart Island. Most common in lowland and coastal forests. Also found on the Chatham Islands. Also present in Australia, New Guinea and the Pacific Islands.
- Endemism
- Endemic
- Main Threats
- No significant conservation threats. The species is common and widespread. May compete with other plants in regenerating forest. Not palatable to introduced browsers. Habitat loss from land clearance is the primary historical threat.
- Population
- Populations are considered stable and widespread. The species is common in lowland and coastal forests throughout New Zealand. It is not threatened by habitat loss because it thrives in disturbed and regenerating forest.
- Conservation Status
- Not Threatened
- Human Risk
- harmless
- Handling Note
- native vine, safe to handle
- Conservation Note
- Endemic climber; widespread in coastal and lowland habitats throughout New Zealand.
- Assessment
- NZTCS Vascular Plants (2023)
- Te Ao Māori
- In Māori tradition, pohuehue was valued for its fruit and its medicinal properties. The white, fleshy fruits were eaten fresh. The leaves were used in poultices for wounds and skin infections. The tangled stems were sometimes used as natural fencing or as nesting sites for birds. The plant was recognised as a useful coloniser of disturbed land. Helping to stabilise soil and create conditions for forest regeneration.
It climbs. It twines. It takes over disturbed ground.
Pohuehue is a vigorous, large-leaved climbing vine. It forms dense tangles along forest edges and in regenerating bush. It climbs using twining stems that can reach 10 metres or more in length. The stems are woody at the base. They become thinner and more flexible towards the tips. The leaves are heart-shaped or oval. Up to 10 centimetres long. Bright green. The small, inconspicuous flowers are followed by white, fleshy fruits with black seeds. A plant that hides its flowers and shows its fruit.
The fruit was eaten by Māori. The white, fleshy pulp is sweet and juicy. With a mild flavour. The leaves were used in traditional medicines. The tangled stems provide excellent habitat for birds. Offering shelter from predators and nesting sites. The dense growth also provides food and shelter for insects and lizards. A plant that feeds the forest. Pohuehue is an important plant for regenerating forest. It grows quickly in disturbed areas. Covering the ground and climbing over shrubs. Its dense growth suppresses weeds. Provides shade for slower-growing native trees. It is a pioneer species. One of the first plants to colonise cleared land. Over time, as the forest matures, pohuehue becomes less dominant. But it persists in the canopy. Climbing the trunks of larger trees. A plant that makes way for the giants.
The common name is also used for several other Muehlenbeckia species. Including the smaller-leaved Muehlenbeckia complexa. Which is common in coastal areas. Both species are valuable for erosion control. Their dense root systems holding soil on steep banks and cliffs. The clearing is bare. The pohuehue climbs. Covering the ground. Climbing the shrubs. Reaching for the light. The birds nest in its tangles. The lizards hide in its stems. The pohuehue does not ask for thanks. It just grows. That is what pioneers do. Populations are considered stable and widespread. The species is common in lowland and coastal forests throughout New Zealand. It is not threatened by habitat loss because it thrives in disturbed and regenerating forest. No significant conservation threats. May compete with other plants in regenerating forest. Not palatable to introduced browsers.