wind-battered ake ake of the Chatham Islands

Size
Height: 800–1200 cm
Lifespan
50–100 years
Diet
Not applicable as this is a tree. Absorbs nutrients through roots. Prefers well-drained, often poor soils with full sun. Tolerates salt spray, strong wind, and drought.
Habitat
Coastal forests, exposed cliffs, and rocky shores. Prefers well-drained, often poor soils with full sun. Tolerates salt spray, strong wind, and drought.
Range
Endemic to Chatham Islands only. Found in coastal forests and exposed sites. Not found on mainland New Zealand.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
Habitat loss from land clearance and coastal development is the primary threat. Climate change affects coastal habitats. No significant pest or disease issues.
Population
Populations stable on Chatham Islands. Species endemic to Chatham Islands, not found on mainland. Not threatened but has restricted distribution. Protection of coastal habitats is important.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
protected native tree, do not disturb habitat
Conservation Note
Endemic shrub or small tree; restricted to Chatham Islands.
Assessment
NZTCS Vascular Plants (2023)
Te Ao Māori
In Moriori and Māori tradition on Chatham Islands (Rēkohu), this tree was valued for its hard, durable timber. Wood was used for building and for making tools. Silver-grey leaves were noted for their beauty. The tree was also used medicinally. Its ability to survive in extreme coastal conditions was admired.
Wind shapes it. Chatham Island Ake Ake is a handsome tree daisy endemic to the Chatham Islands. It grows on exposed cliffs where few other trees survive. Its thick, leathery, silver-grey leaves catch the light. They turn the tree into a flash of silver against the grey sea. The leaves are tough and resilient. They are covered in fine hairs that reflect the sun and reduce water loss. The tree is extremely wind-hardy. It is bent and shaped by constant gales. A tree that bends but does not break. In summer, masses of white daisy flowers cover the tree. Each one is a small sun. The flowers are rich in nectar. They attract bees and insects. The tree is a patch of light in the coastal scrub. A tree that blooms where the wind never stops. The wood is hard, durable, and beautifully figured. Moriori and Māori on the Chatham Islands used it for building and for making tools. The tree was a resource of the coast. It was a gift from the forest. A tree that gave itself to the people. To see a Chatham Island Ake Ake is to see a tree of the edge. It grows on the cliffs. It stands in the spray. It faces the wind. Its silver leaves shine. Its white flowers glow. Its trunk bends but does not break. It has been here for millennia. It will be here as long as the Chatham Islands stand. The cliff is exposed. The wind blows. The ake ake bends. Silver leaves flash. White flowers glow. The salt spray coats its bark. The tree does not complain. It has been here for thousands of years. It will be here when the wind stops blowing. Which is never.