Your two-minute tree break

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They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it’s also in a lovely tree or shrub. Are you familiar with our fetching native Makamaka (Ackama rosifolia)? It was named after its rose-like foliage, which is reddish on the underside. Allan Cunningham, an early botanist, first catalogued Makamaka in the Hokianga in 1826. Ackama was his adaptation of the Maori name, Makamaka.

Makamaka is a small spreading bushy tree with steady growth to five metres within ten years, and to a maximum of ten metres. At maturity the trunk at breast height will be approximately sixty centimetres. It prefers some shelter, semi-shade, and moist soils. Makamaka has low drought tolerance and is frost sensitive. The verdant very attractive foliage is similar to Tawhero. Makamaka flowers profuse pink-white blossoms to the point of obscuring its foliage from August to November. The miniature fruit (capsules) mature from green to pink, then scarlet, between January and March and produce tiny seeds covered with hairs that enable their dispersal by wind.

Makamaka foliage is similar to that of young Tawhero (Weinmannia silvicola) but Ackama has domatia (tiny chambers) on the undersides of its leaves which make it readily distinguishable.

$100 each $240 each

Makamaka bark was used in earlier times to make reddish brown dyes
Records show the bark was also used for tanning
Makamaka timber is light-brown to pink-brown
Very few native genera have Te Reo Maori-derived names but Ackama is one of them
Propagation is equally successful from semi-hardwood cuttings or fresh seed
Collect seed in March and April
Makamaka is a spreading tree and will need at least three or four metres of space around it to achieve optimum natural form
Makamaka’s natural environment extends from Whangarei, north. It favours the banks of streams and lowland forest edges, but can be cultivated as far south as Wellington

Related trees in takana native trees stock include:

Kamahi

(Weinmannia racemosa)

Kamahi is a hardy spreading forest tree which grows to a height of two metres within ten years, to a maximum of twenty-five metres. It is an important forest tree with reddish tones in the foliage. Kamahi’s long flower racemes attract bees and make excellent honey. Its natural environment is from the Waikato, south. Yields quality timber.

$600 each

Tawhero

(Weinmannia silvicola)

An erect evergreen forest specimen tree, Tawhero grows to four metres height within ten years, to a maximum height of fifteen metres. Preferring a well-drained, cool root run, it tolerates most soils, grows well in the open, and enjoys shade. It will sustain mild to moderate frost. A broad-leafed tree, Tahwero comes into profuse flower from September to December. The long, splendid pink-white flower racemes droop from branch ends and their nectar attracts Bellbirds, Tui, Silvereyes, butterflies, and bees.

$95 each $950 each P.O.A

* All prices are exclusive of GST

102 Omaha Flats Road, Matakana
0800TAKANA | don@takana.co.nz

Takana Native Tree Nursery

51 Sylvan Avenue

Northcote

Auckland, Auckland -

New Zealand

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