Kowhai

Plant Characteristics
Habit		tree
Height:	⇕	5 m"m" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 5. to 12 m"m" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 12.
Width:	⇔	4 m"m" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 4. to 10 m"m" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 10.
Lifespan:	⌛	perennial
Origin:	✈	New Zealand
Poisonous:	☠	All parts possibly poisonous
Bloom:	❀	early spring, mid spring

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	sun, part-sun
Water:	◍	moist, moderate
Features:	✓	evergreen, flowers, birds, wildlife, bees, bonsai, hummingbirds
Minimum Temp:	☃	10°C50 °F <br />283.15 K <br />509.67 °R <br />
USDA Zones:		8 to 10
Flower features:	❀	yellow

Scientific Names
Fabaceae >	Sophora >

Kowhai are a tree native to New Zealand. They are a legume in the genus Sophora. In total there are eight species, of which sophora microphylla is the most common.

Cultivation

The kowhai is a common feature along river edges throughout all of New Zealand. The trees will usually get to around 8 metres high with a similar spread. They prefer free draining soil.

Propagation

The seeds need to be treated specially to make them grow. In nature the hard outer shell of the Kowhai seed erodes away as it tumbles down streams, so the shell needs to be damaged somehow to allow water to soak into it. To allow this, one can take small nicks out of the shell using a pair of nail clippers or some similar instrument. After the chitting, the seed needs to be placed in a container of water to soak for a night.
The seeds are best planted in a coarse mix to allow for good drainage, this prevents rotting or fungal infections.
The germination period is 14-21 days.

The Kowhai can be grown from cuttings during autumn and early winter. They will take about 60-100 days to root and can be planted out in spring.

Pests and diseases

The Kowhai caterpillar is a bright-green and black caterpillar that strips the leaves of the kowhai. The treatment for such a problem is the use of an insecticide such as Orthene (NZ), Mavrik (NZ), Shield (NZ) or Super Shield (NZ).