| General Description | A medium to large sized tree, that if left to grow can reach up to 18 metres in height. It is a visually interesting tree that depending on the time of year, can produce small purple flowers or large bright red fruits with black seeds which sit next to their glossy pinnate leaves. |
| ID Characteristic | The three most identifiable characteristics of this tree are the red berries with dark black seeds that grow from the end of the branches, the large glossy leaves that tend to grow in pairs, and the smooth grey bark on the trunk of the tree. |
| Shape | Typically a single trunked tree, A. excelsus can split into many co-dominant stems from one leader. The tree grows in a broadly upward direction, fanning out to create a visually pleasing crown. This tree can grow up to 60 meters in height with a canopy of 40 feet in diameter. |
| Landscape | A. excelsus can be used in a few different ways in the landscape, including but not limited to: a specimen planting, or mass plantings to create shade. It will behave well in lawns, parks or as a
street tree. Outside of its native habitat in New Zealand, A. excelsus can be seen as street plantings in a few coastal California cities, where the temperature is more suitable for them. Without adequate irrigation, this tree will suffer some leaf loss and will look less appealing in the landscape as a result. |
| Propagation | A. excelsus can be propagated fairly easily, since the seeds needed to do so are easily available to anyone willing to pluck them from the leaves. The seed is the centre of a red fruit, so after removing the flesh around the seed, known as the aril, you are left with a shiny black pearl. This seed can last for up to 5 months and will still be viable if planted. When planting the seed, use a moist but well drained medium and have a target temperature of between 21° and 23° C. Placing the seedlings in a shaded location early is recommended, but can be moved to full sun after about a year. |
| Cultivation | The t?toki prefers soils that are moist but still well drained. They can be quite tolerant of wind, but the same cannot be said for salt, frost, or prolonged drought. Found along coastal regions where there is adequate rainfall but sandy soil, since A. excelsus does not do well in standing
water. |
| Pests | While there are an innumerable number of bugs, critters and otherwise hungry animals that will eat the bright red seeds off of the tree, there are still a few specific pests that infest this tree. The first is a disease called Epelidochiton piperis, also known as Peppercorn Scale, which will live on the underside of leaves and suck nutrients from the plant. Another prominent pest that affects A. excelsus is Aenetus virescens or the Puriri Moth, which in its larval or caterpillar stage can be very damaging to the host plant through boring or leaf damage. |
| Notable Specimens | There are a number of examples of A. excelsus located in the San Francisco Botanical Garden, some of which are almost 40 years old. |
| Habitat | Only growing naturally in one place on Earth, New Zealand, A. excelsus can be found across the North Island of the country and in the northern half of the South Island. Usually seen in coastal or lowland forests, this species likes moist but well drained soils. |
| Bark/Stem Description | The bark on the trunk of this tree is an almost uniform grey colour, with a very smooth texture that does not often have much variation, except for the occasional light-coloured spotting. The new growth along the stems is hairy in texture, and more brown/green in colour. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | The leaf bud shares the same hairy texture present on the branches. The buds will grow in groups, in a slender conical shape, before growing to unfurl into a large leaf. |
| Leaf Description | Leaflets are arranged in a pinnate manner on the stems with petioles
measuring roughly 3 inches long, while the leaves are between 6 and 13 inches in length. Brand new leaf buds will produce short and hairy growth before growing in oppositely arranged pairs along the stem, with the younger leaf growth having a slightly serrated edge before reaching
maturity as a smooth, glossy, oblong leaf. |
| Flower Description | The flowers have both a male and female variety, which will not always grow on the same plant. Emerging in the spring and early summer in the southern hemisphere (November and December), these unique flowers grow from hairy stems similar to the leaves, but these stems soon turn a dark red colour. When young, the flowers will look purple at a distance, but as they age, their colour changes to red. At the ends, 6 – 8 red tendrils with dark pollen covered tips spring up. The female flowers will have a lighter, orange coloured, hairy, tear-drop shaped centre
organ, while the male flower will be missing this. |
| Fruit Description | The fruits of A. excelsus start their life in a small, mitten shaped capsule before reaching maturity. Once they are ready, the fruit emerges from the capsule, displaying a brilliant red coloured fruit which can be spotted at quite a distance. At the centre of the red fruit there is a jet-black seed, which will be dropped by any animal that consumes the fruit. |
| Colour Description | The smooth bark on the trunk of this species is a strikingly uniform grey colour, which allows the rest of the colours on this tree to stand out. The leaves are a similarly uniform colour, but dark green, growing along light green or dark red stems. The flowers produced range from a light purple to a dark red, but are not nearly as flashy and eye catching as the bright red seeds with their dark black centres. |
| Texture Description | Overall, A. excelsus is fine textured, since the smooth bark, smooth and glossy leaves, and smooth black seeds all contribute to a fine texture for this species. |