Planchonella costata (formerly Pouteria costata) -  Tawapou

A rarely-seen coastal tree belonging to the Sapotaceae family, tawapou is a fascinating tree. It grows 6m to 8m and has a wide-spreading open habit. Yet despite its most attractive glossy foliage, it is seldom noticed among the rest of the coastal native bush. Not until it is in fruit does it stand out from the background plants. Then the fruit immediately grab your attention. They are the size of dates and the fleshy drupes: {A fleshy fruit, usually having a single hard stone that encloses a seed. Also called stone fruit.} range in colour from the green of the foliage through yellow, to ochre, to handsome red-orange berries and finally as they ripen, through to black. This mass of colour is at its best in May/June.

Inside the fruit, the flesh is sticky and milk-like, surrounding from 1 to 4 seeds, again rather similar to date seeds. Much-loved by woodpigeon and kaka, the fruit can be widely dispersed. Unfortunately the fruit and seeds are also eaten by rats so regeneration is not happening in the wild. The hard, woody, polished seeds were strung together by Maori as beads on necklaces. They make a satisfying 'rattle' rather like 'worry-beads' on a rosary.

Maori legend has it that tawapou was brought from Hawaiiki which is unlikely, but there is a plant there, Pouteria sandwicensis, which looks similar, and other related species are found throughout the Pacific.

The caution for gardeners is that tawapou is frost-tender and should be given shelter in areas prone to frost, no matter how light. It likes rich, moist soil that is free draining, but will tolerate drought and exposure quite well.

Tawapou grows naturally along the east coast from North Cape as far south as Tolaga Bay, but only between Maunganui Bluff and the Waitakere Ranges on the west coast. It also grows on Norfolk Island where it is endangered. Its presence there reinforces the claim that Norfolk should be part of New Zealand, botanically if not politically.