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Mears Bush
Plants at Mears Bush
Pittosporum
Whitey Wood
The small leaves of a Pittosporum
Scientific name: Pittosporum tenuifolium
Common name: Pittosporum
Maori name: Kohuhu
There are about 21 different species of Pittosporums in New Zealand. In Mears Bush you will find the Pittosporum tenuifolium. It is considered a small tree growing to about 9 meters. It has small oval leaves that can be shades of green.
A young Whitey Wood
Scientific name: Melicytus ramiflorus
Common name: Whitey Wood
Maori name: Mahoe
This tree gets its name from the colour of its bark, a smooth white colour. The bark is often covered with a whitish lichens. Whitey Woods can grow to 10 meters in height. The trunk is not long as the branches normally start low to the ground.
Pittosporum mixed in with other natives in the bush
This plant flowers in November. The flowers are a reddish purple colour and they turn black as they come to the end of their life. Once again these trees are also a great source of food for native birds.
The white, lichen cover trunk of the Mahoe tree
Mahoe flower in December. Their flowers are white and form clusters on the branches. In March they have small round dark purple berries. Kereru and many other native birds eat the berries. Geckos also like the berries of the Whitey Wood tree.
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