''Sophora chathamica'', the coastal kōwhai, sometimes known as Chatham Island kōwhai, is one of 8 species of native
sophora or
kōwhai in New Zealand and grows naturally in the north-west of the
North Island
The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...
in
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
, as far south as the Tongaporutu River in north
Taranaki
Taranaki is a regions of New Zealand, region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano Mount Taranaki, Taranaki Maunga, formerly known as Mount Egmont.
The main centre is the ...
, and as far north as Te Paki.
It can also be found growing near
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
and the
Chatham Islands
The Chatham Islands ( ; Moriori language, Moriori: , 'Misty Sun'; ) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island, administered as part of New Zealand, and consisting of about 10 islands within an approxima ...
, although these later plantings are thought to be a result of Māori plantings in the late 18th century and early 19th century.
Prior to 2001, it was included as variant of ''
Sophora microphylla'', therefore references to either ''Sophora microphylla var. chathamica'' or ''Sophora microphylla subsp. microphylla var. chathamica'' are considered references to coastal kowhai.
Description
Coastal kōwhai forms a small tree up to 6 metres tall and 4 metres wide. It generally flowers from August until November.
Flowers are yellow and around 3 cm long. Unlike many kōwhai species, coastal kōwhai lacks the
divaricating juvenile stage when grown from seed.
Conservation
As assessed by the New Zealand Threat Classification System, ''S. chathamica'' is not considered threatened.
Cultivation
Coastal kōwhai is available from nurseries throughout New Zealand. There are also several
cultivars
A cultivar is a kind of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those traits when propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue cult ...
available, including:
* The cultivar ''Milligold'' was selected by
Duncan & Davies nursery for the new millennium (as ''Sophora microphylla'' var. ''chathamica'', the classification in use at the time). It forms a small, compact tree with weeping branches and is sometimes listed as an evergreen.
See also
*
Kōwhai
References
chathamica
Trees of New Zealand
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