Tōtara
A revered, long-lived podocarp conifer prized historically for its rot-resistant timber - be honest with anyone planting one that this becomes a genuinely large forest tree, commonly 20-25m and occasionally far taller, so it is not a small-section option unless kept as a clipped hedge form (some cultivars are bred smaller and stay compact). Slow-growing, hardy nationwide once established, and its fleshy fruit feeds kererū. Flowers are inconspicuous (it's a conifer, not a flowering plant), so no flowering window is listed.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- low
- Spacing
- 500cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 20m
- Attracts wildlife
- Kererū, Silvereye/tauhou
- 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. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: September-November.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentFirst summer after planting
- Water through the first summer while roots establish, even though mature tōtara is drought-tolerant and low-water
- Full sun position needed for strong, upright growth
Early growthFirst few years
- Growth is slow, so don't expect fast height gain in the early years
- Decide early whether to keep it clipped as a hedge or let it become a genuinely large forest tree, since this is harder to change later
Maturity
- Expect a large canopy over time, commonly 20-25m unless maintained as a clipped hedge
- Fleshy fruit feeds kererū and silvereye
- No flowers to watch for - it's a conifer, so fruit forms without a flowering stage