Kōhūhū

Also known as Black Matipo, Kohukohu, Tawhiwhi

Kōhūhū stands out in the New Zealand bush with its distinctive charcoal-black twigs and crinkled, pale green leaves that shimmer in coastal breezes. Its subtle, nearly black blossoms open in spring to emit a sweet, honeyed scent strictly after nightfall to lure nocturnal moths. Acting as a fast-growing pioneer plant, it quickly colonizes clearings and sheltered margins, creating vital nurse canopies for slower-growing canopy trees.