five finger with leaves spread like an open hand

Size
Height: 5–8 m
Lifespan
50–100 years
Diet
Produces small purple-black berries eaten by native birds including kererū, tūī, and bellbirds. Berries are an important food source. Seeds are dispersed by birds, helping tree colonise new areas.
Habitat
Lowland and montane forests from Northland to Stewart Island. A tree of understorey, shady margins, gaps between giants. Often found along stream banks, on forest edges, and in regenerating bush.
Range
Found throughout the North and South Islands, Stewart Island, and Chatham Islands. Most common in native forests, regenerating bush, and suburban gardens from sea level to 800 metres elevation.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
None significant as this species is widespread and common. Faces no major threats. Popular in suburban gardens for its distinctive foliage and shade tolerance. Useful coloniser of disturbed sites.
Population
Not Threatened. Common throughout New Zealand in lowland forests, regenerating bush, and suburban gardens. A popular ornamental tree, valued for its distinctive foliage and ability to thrive in shade. Not rare.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
native broadleaf tree/shrub, safe to handle
Conservation Note
Endemic tree; widespread in lowland and montane forests throughout New Zealand.
Assessment
NZTCS Vascular Plants (2023)
Te Ao Māori
Whauwhaupaku. The name is a mouthful. Whau-whau-paku. But it rolls off the tongue. In Māori tradition, Five-finger was a tree of the forest. It was a source of medicine and utility. Leaves were used to treat wounds and skin infections. Wood was used for tools, handles of adzes, and frames of houses. The tree was also a marker. A place where whauwhaupaku grew was a place of good soil, fresh water, and a healthy forest.
Five leaflets radiate from a central point. Five-finger leaves are compound. They are divided into five leaflets, arranged like fingers of a hand. Sometimes there are three leaflets. Sometimes seven. But usually five. Hence the name. Each leaflet is long, narrow, and toothed. It has a pointed tip. Leaves are dark green and glossy on top. They are paler underneath. They are held on long, slender stems. They droop slightly. This gives the tree a relaxed, almost casual appearance. What makes it special? The shape. No other native tree has leaves quite like this. Five leaflets radiate from a central point. It looks like a star or a hand. The effect is striking. A tree that seems to be waving at you. Offering a high five. Leaves are tough and leathery. They are not soft like wineberry. They stay on the tree all year. The flowers are another clue. Five-finger produces clusters of small, dark purple or blackish flowers in late winter and early spring. They are not showy. They are small and hidden. But they are heavily scented. A sweet, honey-like perfume carries on the breeze. The scent attracts flies, beetles, and moths. These are the tree's primary pollinators. The fruit is a small, black berry about the size of a pea. It is produced in clusters. It is a favourite food of kererū, tūī, and bellbird. Birds eat the berries. They digest the flesh. They carry seeds to new locations. Five-finger depends on its feathered gardeners. The bark is pale grey and smooth. It has occasional cracks and lenticels. The trunk is usually short and branched. It divides into several main stems. It is not a timber tree. The wood is light and soft. But it is a favourite of the birds. Biologically, Five-finger is a member of the Araliaceae family. This is the same family as ivy and ginseng. It is a tree of the understorey. It is adapted to the low light of the forest floor. Its broad, divided leaves capture light that filters through the canopy. It grows slowly in shade. It waits for a gap to open. Then it races towards the light. To stand under a Five-finger is to stand under a canopy of hands. Leaves are held out like open palms. They catch the light. They wave in the breeze. Flowers are hidden. Fruit is dark. Bark is smooth. A tree of the middle. The in-between. The space between giants and ground.