tawa whose fruit once fed entire kererū flocks

Size
Height: 20–30 m
Lifespan
300–500 years
Diet
Not applicable as this is a tree. Absorbs nutrients through roots. Prefers warm, humid conditions with high rainfall. A dominant canopy tree in many northern forests. Often found with taraire and pūriri.
Habitat
Lowland and hill forests, often on fertile, well-drained soils. Prefers warm, humid conditions with high rainfall. A dominant canopy tree in many northern forests. Often found with taraire, pūriri, and kahikatea.
Range
Found in lowland forests of the North Island and northern South Island. Most common from Northland to Marlborough. Replaces taraire in southern parts of its range. Also found on the Chatham Islands.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
Habitat loss from land clearance for farming and forestry is the primary threat. Predation of fruit and seeds by introduced rats and possums. Competition from invasive weed species. Climate change affects flowering patterns.
Population
Populations stable in remaining forest fragments. Not commercially logged but threatened by ongoing habitat loss. Rats consume large quantities of fruit, reducing regeneration. Possums browse foliage, damaging canopy health.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
native broadleaf tree, edible fruit safe to handle
Conservation Note
Endemic canopy tree; widespread in lowland and montane forests throughout New Zealand.
Assessment
NZTCS Vascular Plants (2023)
Te Ao Māori
In Māori tradition, tawa kernels were a staple food for forest-dwelling tribes. The kernels were harvested in late summer to early autumn when they matured. They were boiled or steamed, then dried for storage. The dried kernels were re-cooked before eating. The wood was valued for making long bird spears (taoroa) because it was straight and strong. Tawa was also used as kindling for lighting fires.
Smooth bark marks the trunk. Tawa is a tall, graceful forest tree. It reaches 30 metres in height. It has a straight trunk and a dense, rounded crown. The bark is pale grey and smooth. It is marked with small, raised lenticels. The leaves are long and narrow. They are up to 15 centimetres in length. They have a pointed tip and smooth edges. They are dark green on top and paler underneath. They arrange alternately along the branches. What makes it special? The fruit. Tawa produces a dark purple, plum-like fruit. It has a large, hard kernel inside. The fruit ripens in late summer to early autumn. It hangs in clusters from the branches. The flesh is thin and sweet. But the kernel is the prize. The kernel is rich and oily. It is a high-energy food. It sustained Māori forest tribes for centuries. The fruit is eaten by birds. Particularly the kererū. The bird swallows the whole fruit and disperses the seed. The kererū is the Tawa primary gardener. It carries the seeds far from the parent tree. Without the kererū, Tawa would be limited to the area around its parent. The wood of Tawa is pale, straight-grained, and durable. It was used for making tools, for the handles of adzes, and for the frames of houses. It is a wood that does not split or warp. It is a wood that lasts for generations. The wood was also used as fuel for lighting fires. It was valued for its long-burning, hot flame. Biologically, Tawa is a dominant canopy tree in many northern lowland forests. It forms dense stands with taraire, pūriri, and kahikatea. It creates a tall, closed canopy that shades the forest floor. The tree is shade-tolerant as a seedling. But it requires gaps in the canopy to reach maturity. To see a Tawa in fruit is to see a tree heavy with purple plums. The kererū wobble on the branches. They are too full to fly. The kernels fall to the ground. They wait to be collected. They wait to be cooked. They wait to feed the forest. Tawa is not a king. It is not a warrior. It is the provider. It is the tree of the kernel. The one that fed the forest.