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Kowhai Ngutukaka

KOWHAI NGUTUKAKA
(Kaka beak)

Kowhai Ngutukaka or kaka beak is a shrub found only in New Zealand. It is a member of the pea family and its closest relatives are in Australia. In spring it produces stunning large red flowers which hang in clusters of 15-20. It has bright green seed pods which turn brown and split open when dry. These pods are full of large numbers of tightly packed small black seeds. Plants can grow up to 2-3m tall, producing long, trailing stems that form new plants when they come into contact with soil. The Kowhai ngutukaka's beautiful flowers and edible seedpods have made this plant attractive to gardeners.
They don't know what the pre-human distribution of Kowhai ngutukaka was as Maori are thought to have transported it around the country. They do know that Kowhai ngutukaka once grew in Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel, around Lake Waikaremoana, the East Cape and Hawke's Bay. Today Kowhai ngutukaka grows on Moturemu Island in the Kaipara harbor, at several sites on the East Cape, Te Urewera National Park, near Wairoa, and in Boundary Stream Mainland Island in Hawke's Bay.
Kowhai ngutukaka grows in open, sunny, steep sites, often on rocky outcrops, slips, the bases of cliffs or edges of lakes and streams.
In the past the kowhai Ngutukaka were used by Maori for gifting. Another use of this plant would be the edible seed pods.
Why is it rare? One of New Zealand's first native plant conservation programmes was created to protect Kowhai ngutukaka around Lake Waikaremoana. Plants in the wild were fenced to exclude browsing animals in several areas and new sites planted out. Recently local hapu, with help from DOC, have established Nga Tipu a Tane ki Waikaremoana nursery at Te Kura o Waikaremoana School, in the Lake Waikaremoana area. Plants are grown here for eventual return to the wild.