Mapou

Scientific name: Myrsine australis
English name: Red mapou
Other names: Red matipo, mapau, red maple

Pioneer Tree (under 10m) - native to the Wellington Region
Suits: damp, dry, shade, partial shade, sunny, shelter, exposure, coastal forest garden, coastal and dune garden, small garden or balcony, wetlands and water features

About Mapou

A handsome small tree with bright red twigs and grey trunk and branches in older individuals, bearing wavy lime greenish leaves with pale undersides dotted with oil glands.
Mapou sometimes similar to kamahi from a distance. Male and female sits on separate trees and are needed if fruit is required. Small cream coloured flowers appear on crowded branchlets around January to mid-autumn. After flowering small black fruits are produced with a single black seed, these grow directly on the stem of the plant. These takes about a year to ripe and are very pupular with kereru, tui, hihi and other native birds.

Mapou is easy to care for and will grow in most situations even dry ones and is often used in native restoration and revegetation plantings. Can also be used and trimmed to a hedge.

Provides for birds