Native Plant Identification

A field guide for Motuihe volunteers

Over 441,000 plants have been eco-sourced from the island and propagated within the island nursery and planted since 2003 by many volunteers from corporate, schools, special interest groups and many individuals. This is a tremendous effort — to all those volunteers who have taken part in the planting process, whether it be in the nursery sowing seeds, pricking out seedlings or out in the fields in sometimes atrocious weather conditions or under beautiful skies, THANK YOU. This beautiful gem of an island is flourishing. Motuihe was always a great place to visit, however it has become a true treasure in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf whether you are a pleasure-boat owner, interested in conservation, ornithology, botany, geology or an explorer of fabulous beaches and bush.

To assist you in your island exploration, below is a list of native plants that have either been propagated on the island or are part of the existing remnant of native bush. Follow the common name link for plant description, fruit and flowers, pests/diseases and uses for each plant.

Plant Directory

Common NameScientific NameTe Reo Māori
AkeakeDodonaea viscosaAkeake
AsteliaAstelia banksiiKōwharawhara
Bush LawyerRubus cissoidesTātarāmoa
Cabbage TreeCordyline australisTī kōuka
FlaxPhormium tenaxHarakeke
Coastal Five FingerPseudopanax lessoniiHoupara
Kahikatea (White Pine)Dacrycarpus dacrydioidesKahikatea
KākābeakClianthus puniceusKōwhai ngutukākā
Kānuka (Tea Tree)Kunzea ericoidesKānuka
KarakaCorynocarpus laevigatusKaraka
KaramūCoprosma robustaKaramū
KaroPittosporum crassifoliumKaro
KauriAgathis australisKauri
Kawakawa (Pepper Tree)Macropiper excelsumKawakawa
KohekoheDysoxylum spectabileKohekohe
KoromikoHebe strictaKoromiko
KōwhaiSophora chathamicaKōwhai
Māhoe (Whiteywood)Melicytus ramiflorusMāhoe
Mānuka (Tea Tree)Leptospermum scopariumMānuka
Māpou (Red Matipo)Myrsine australisMāpou
NgaioMyoporum laetumNgaio
Nīkau PalmRhopalostylis sapidaNīkau
PigeonwoodHedycarya arboreaPorokaiwhiri
PoroporoSolanum laciniatumPoroporo
PūririVitex lucensPūriri
Rewarewa (NZ Honeysuckle)Knightia excelsaRewarewa
Shore SpurgeEuphorbia glaucaWaiūatua
TaraireBeilschmiedia tarairiTaraire
TaupataCoprosma repensTaupata
TawapouPouteria costataTawapou
TītokiAlectryon excelsusTītoki
ToetoeAustroderia speciesToetoe
TōtaraPodocarpus totaraTōtara
WharangiMelicope ternataWharangi
WhauEntelea arborescensWhau

Note: Plant leaf photos and PDF factsheets from the old site are being migrated. Image and document uploads coming soon.

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