karaka with orange drupes that can kill a dog

Size
Height: 5–15 m
Lifespan
200–300 years
Diet
Not applicable (tree)
Habitat
Coastal forests, sheltered bays, and inland lowland forests. Prefers fertile, well-drained soils. Often found on cliff faces and in coastal scrub. Tolerates salt spray and wind. Commonly planted near former Māori settlement sites.
Range
Found in coastal and lowland forests of the North Island and northern South Island. Most common from Northland to Marlborough. Often found near former Māori settlement sites where it was planted.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
Habitat loss from coastal development is the primary threat. Predation of fruit and seeds by introduced rats and possums. Competition from invasive weed species. Climate change affecting coastal habitats. Seedlings palatable to livestock.
Population
Populations have declined in many coastal areas due to land clearance and browsing by livestock. Still common in protected coastal forests and reserves. Many existing stands are of trees planted by Māori near former settlement sites. Natural regeneration limited by rat predation.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
A handsome coastal tree with thick, glossy green leaves and bright orange fruit. Karaka grows to 15 metres in height, with a dense, rounded crown and dark, fissured bark. The leaves are large, thick, and leathery, up to 20 centimetres long, with wavy margins and a glossy dark green surface. The fruit is the story. Karaka produces clusters of bright orange, plum-like fruit in summer. The fruit is sweet and fragrant, with a strong apricot flavour. The flesh is edible raw, but the kernel inside is poisonous. What makes it special? The kernel. Karaka kernels are large, hard, and rich in oil. But they are also highly toxic. Raw kernels contain a poison that causes convulsions and death. To make them safe to eat, Māori developed a complex process of boiling and soaking. The kernels were boiled for up to twelve hours, then immersed in running water for one to two weeks. The water leached out the poison, leaving the kernel safe and nutritious. The prepared kernels could be stored for months, providing a reliable source of food for coastal tribes. They were eaten raw, or ground into a paste and mixed with other foods. The oil was extracted and used for scenting and for medicinal purposes. Karaka groves were planted by Māori near seasonal camps, ensuring a reliable food supply. The trees were carefully managed, with the fruit harvested in autumn. The groves were a form of insurance, a guarantee that there would be food even when the sea was rough and the birds were scarce. The wood of Karaka is hard, dense, and durable. It was used for making tools, for the handles of adzes, for the frames of houses. The bright orange fruit was also used as a dye, producing a rich yellow-orange colour. To see a Karaka in fruit is to see a tree of bright orange jewels. The fruit hangs in clusters, heavy and sweet. The leaves are glossy, the bark is dark, the crown is dense. It is a tree of the coast, of the bays and the harbours, of the places where the people gathered. Karaka is not a king. It is not a warrior. It is the provider, the tree of the kernel, the one that fed the coast.