Puka
A dramatic, large-leaved tree (Meryta sinclairii) naturally restricted to a handful of northern offshore islands, grown for its bold, tropical-looking foliage - the largest simple leaves in the NZ flora. Wind- and salt-tolerant but genuinely frost-tender, so it's realistically only an option in the warmest coastal northern gardens; no planting window is listed for other regions. Reaches around 8m.
- Sun
- partial sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 300cm
- Difficulty
- advanced
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay
- Mature height
- 8m
- Attracts wildlife
- Kererū
- Evergreen
- Yes
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: March-April and September-November.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentFirst few months
- Only realistic in the warmest coastal northern gardens - genuinely frost-tender, which is why no planting window is listed for other regions
- Partial sun and a wind- and salt-tolerant position suit this island-origin species well
Early growthFirst 1-2 years
- Naturally restricted to a handful of northern offshore islands in the wild, so it's a genuinely advanced species to establish elsewhere
- Bold, large leaves take time to develop their full tropical-looking size
Maturity
- Reaches around 8m, with the largest simple leaves in the NZ flora as its standout feature
- Kererū make use of the mature tree
- Wind- and salt-tolerance suit it to exposed coastal sites once established