White maire

Scientific name: Nestegis lanceolata

Tree (over 15m) - native to the Wellington Region
Suits: damp, dry, partial shade, sunny, shelter, coastal forest garden

About White maire

White maire deserves to be more widely grown as it makes an excellent specimen or street tree and once established is remarkably drought tolerant. The fruit is avidly eaten by many birds especially kereru. Growing up to 15- 20 metre with a stout, erect trunk with a rough and furrowed bark. Branchlets with pale bark. White maire is commonly found on steep hill sides and along ridge lines.The leathery leaves are dark green up to 9 cm long and narrow, with smooth cover and pale green coloration underside.

Flowers are small and greenish and occur from November to January and are followed by a 1 cm long drupe from December to February. They are green at first turning red, flesh pink, or pinkish-red or even orange when ripe to attract birds.

The wood of white maire is among one the hardest of native timbers. It was traditionally often used by the Māori to make tools, like digging sticks for gardening, but also weapons. The wood was also used fo support beams of storage houses.

Provides for birds