Woody > Meryta > Meryta sinclairii > Meryta sinclairii
Meryta sinclairii
Pukanui, Puka
Origin: Three Kings Islands, New Zealand. A single specimen was discovered by European William Colenso in Whangaruru Bay, and it was protected for years since it was declared sacred by Maori. Colenso tried to produce flower and fruit from the specimen when he brought it to Dr. Andrew Sinclair. It was named after Sinclair, Colonial Secretary, and naturalist. It was then found by William Mair who succeeded in fruit and leaf production and forwarded the specimen to Dr. Joseph Hooker at Kew.
Mike's
Opinion
"
This specimen is a small hardy evergreen tree, endemic to New Zealand but cultivated in other parts of the country. Glossy, beautiful large leaved tree used for urban landscaping due to its wind and salt tolerance. Ideal for warm climates as a specimen tree because of the pleasant form, the bird attracting fruits, and the minimal pruning required.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Araliaceae |
| Genus |
| Meryta |
| Species |
| sinclairii |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 9b - 11 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| Greater than 9a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H2 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-2) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 28 |
| Height |
| 4 - 8 m |
| Spread |
| 4 - 8 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A small evergreen tree native to the North Islands of New Zealand. A tropical/subtropical looking tree that is adaptable to warmer climates. Has a rounded crown which requires little to no pruning. |
| Landscape |
| Used as a specimen tree, borders, urban planting, and coastal gardens. A common street tree in New Zealand and can be found in California and Florida. |
| Cultivation |
| Wind and salt tolerant, becoming drought tolerant once established. Prefers full to partial sun with loamy, moist, well-draining soil. |
| Shape |
| Upright with a rounded crown. As a young specimen it grows single trunked then branches out after first inflorescence. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Large leathery leaved tree. Bunches of black ripe fruit. Wind and salt tolerant, great for urban planting in warmer climates. |
| Pests |
| No known pests besides rodents damaging young plants. May also be susceptible to phytophthora or verticillium wilt. |
| Habitat |
| Found on North Islands. Grows in coastal regions, tropical climates, and rocky areas. Also grows in shallow, moist valleys. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Dark grey, hardy trunk when wounded exudes clear gum that dries to a hard crust. Stems are fleshy and green, up to 35 cm long. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Flower buds are green and formed in large panicles with rigid surfaces and a diameter of 5-7 mm. |
| Leaf Description |
| Leaves are a wavy bright green, thick, glossy, and leathery. Can be up to 50 cm long and 20 cm wide. Has an oblong to ovate shape with heavily pronounced veins but smooth, hairless surface. |
| Flower Description |
| Inconspicuous with 4-5 green-white petals at 7-9 mm in diameter that grow on large erect panicles up to 50 mm long. Flowering from August to April, the autumn season. The flowers have an abundance of nectar making it attractive to many insects. |
| Fruit Description |
| Starts out green and fleshy at 1 cm long but as the fruit develops it turns purple, and when fully ripe turns black. Fruiting season is all year round, but ripening happens during the summer. Grows in large bunches at the tips of branchlets. |
| Colour Description |
| Bright green leaves, dark grey bark, whitish-green flowers, young green fruit, and black ripened fruit. |
| Texture Description |
| Leaves and stems are smooth. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa, Auckland, New Zealand. |
| Propagation |
| Propagation mainly happens by fresh seeds, that are known to be big and fleshy, therefore it must be soaked in water for a day or two to remove all the fruit off the seed. Best to be sown as soon as it is ripe in a seed raising mix placing only a pinky finger’s width beneath the soils surface. Keep the soil moist, not letting it dry out until true leaves form. After the true leaves pop up it can be transferred to pot in a high nutrients potting mix. Seeds also germinate beneath parent plant, or they may self-seed. Can be grown from softwood tip cuttings but is less successful because the stems are chunky and may die before a root strike. If there is a root strike it may not be supported because of its large leaves. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Chewing the clear gum from the trunk has been reported to relieve long lasting stomach troubles. |
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