Entelea arborescens - Whau
Entelea arborescens. Whau.
One of New Zealand’s showiest small trees it produces large flower heads of quite large white flowers with a centre ring of yellow anthers and pollen sacs. All this set above lovely large bright green leaves held out from the branch on long petioles.
It belongs to the hibiscus family and this can easily be seen when examining the flowers. It is an attractive tree in both wild settings and in cultivation and well worth planting. Perhaps its only minor setback its that it can be relatively short lived but it produces plenty of seed which grows quickly.
It makes a striking, subtropical looking plant whether it is flower, showing off its large prickly seed heads or it is just in full leaf. Its not a tall tree only reaching about 5 to 8 metres in eight.
Whau is endemic to NZ and grows naturally in the north of the North Island, including nearby islands, and down to Kawhia in the west and to Mahia Peninsula in the east and the sporadically in other locations south along coastal areas as well as some inland places. In the South Island it is only found in Golden Bay. It grows well on the edges of forests and naturally regenerating areas on a wide variety of soil types.
Known for its light weight, similar to balsa wood, it was used for floats for fishing nets and framework parts of small boats.
It is easily spotted in the wild with its large bright green, heart shaped leaves with serrated edges. The flower heads (technically a subumbellate many-flowered cyme) stand above the leaves and make a great show. The many flowers are white with a crumpled texture and a ring of bright yellow stamen and pollen sacs.
Following flowering interesting dark brown, almost black, spiky seed pods are formed which hold many seeds which are very fertile and will grow easily.
Its botanical name of entelea means perfect referring to the pistil and stamens in the same flower and arborescens means becoming a tree.
One of New Zealand’s showiest small trees it produces large flower heads of quite large white flowers with a centre ring of yellow anthers and pollen sacs. All this set above lovely large bright green leaves held out from the branch on long petioles.
It belongs to the hibiscus family and this can easily be seen when examining the flowers. It is an attractive tree in both wild settings and in cultivation and well worth planting. Perhaps its only minor setback its that it can be relatively short lived but it produces plenty of seed which grows quickly.
It makes a striking, subtropical looking plant whether it is flower, showing off its large prickly seed heads or it is just in full leaf. Its not a tall tree only reaching about 5 to 8 metres in eight.
Whau is endemic to NZ and grows naturally in the north of the North Island, including nearby islands, and down to Kawhia in the west and to Mahia Peninsula in the east and the sporadically in other locations south along coastal areas as well as some inland places. In the South Island it is only found in Golden Bay. It grows well on the edges of forests and naturally regenerating areas on a wide variety of soil types.
Known for its light weight, similar to balsa wood, it was used for floats for fishing nets and framework parts of small boats.
It is easily spotted in the wild with its large bright green, heart shaped leaves with serrated edges. The flower heads (technically a subumbellate many-flowered cyme) stand above the leaves and make a great show. The many flowers are white with a crumpled texture and a ring of bright yellow stamen and pollen sacs.
Following flowering interesting dark brown, almost black, spiky seed pods are formed which hold many seeds which are very fertile and will grow easily.
Its botanical name of entelea means perfect referring to the pistil and stamens in the same flower and arborescens means becoming a tree.