Native seed catalogue

Hedycarya arborea Pigeonwood | Porokaiwhiri

This guide is based on a literature review. It compiles information from various sources. Different sources may offer varying advice and findings.

Other known names

Poroporokaiwhiria, porokaiwhiria, poporokaiwhiri, kaiwhiri.

Propagation summary

Good germination rate. Uncertainties found with seed viability and long-term storage. Can be grown from cuttings.

Seed propagation category

Easy.

Geographical distribution

Commonly located in coastal parts of the South Island.(1)

Seed collection

Seed collection occurs in February.(2)

Seed storage

Seeds do not store well.(3)

Seed dormancy

11 days to first germination.(4) All seeds germinated within a month.(2)

Pre-sowing treatments

Seeds need de-pulping(1) (removal of seed from fruit). Cool-moist stratification for up to 3 months(3) (stratification is the process of chilling seeds to promote germination).

Germination

Germination rate of 100%.(4)

Propagation techniques

Seeds sown in March had a flush of germination in June.(1) Lower and slower germination when kept in the dark.(1) Can be propagated by semi-hardwood cuttings taken between March–April with hormone treatment(3) (growth stimulator).

Research opportunities

Germination, seed storage, and vegetative propagation need further investigation.

Information about the native seed profiles

All species names are in the following order: scientific name, common name, and Māori name. Names may vary by region. We have tried to use the most common names across New Zealand.

We have sourced photos from different websites and creators. We have used the images under different licences. These include Public Domain and Creative Commons licenses. For Hedycarya arborea, the image details are:

The basis for each seed profile is a literature review carried out by Scion. Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service commissioned and worked on the review to produce a native seed catalogue. The full seed catalogue is on the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) website.

Native afforestation research programme: Seed propagation catalogue
1.

Burrows, C J (1995) Germination behaviour of the seeds of six New Zealand woody plant species. New Zealand Journal of Botany 33, 365–377.

2.

Burrows, C J (1997) Reproductive ecology of New Zealand forests: 1. Natural seed storage phenomena. New Zealand Natural Sciences 23, 31.

3.

Metcalf, L J (1995) The propagation of New Zealand native plants. Godwit; Auckland, New Zealand.

4.

Burrows, C J (1997) Reproductive ecology of New Zealand forests: 2. Germination behaviour of seeds in varied conditions. New Zealand Natural Sciences 23, 53–69.

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