Use this guide and the photos and images to help identify common New Zealand flowering native trees and shrubs. Click here for Photo and reference guide. Over 300 photos of NZ native plants New Zealand's flowering trees and shrubs (dicotyledons) have over 1275 species with 270 distinct varities. In all the New Zealand flora there are 116 families, 290 genera, 1457 species and 280 distinct varieties. It's no wonder identifying native plants can sometimes be difficult. This is not a definitive guide but lists and describes the more common flowering trees and shrubs you may encounter in the bush or at a garden centre. Browse the species menu below if you know the species name or follow links for more information.
Shrubs with Compound leaves
 Schefflera digitata Pate. Found in damp parts of the forests. Leaves are softer and more toothed than Pseudopanax. Leaflets 7-18 cm long . Flowers and berries in racemes  Pseudopanax arboreus. Five finger. Leaves 3-8 foliate leaflets 7-20 cm long.A small tree or shrub reaching 8 metres. Found in lowland Forests throughout NZ. Flowers and berries in umbels Pseudopanax laetus. The largest leafed Pseudopanax. Petioles and mid ribs purplish red. Central North Island Elatostema rugosa Parataniwha. Leaflets 5-13 cm long reddish green. Soft stems. Common in damp ground. Plant to .5m high  Hibiscus trionum Leaves trifoliate 4-10 cm. Obvious flowers. Found in rare places on northern beaches and islands of the South Pacific. Possibly introduced by pre european maori Shrubs with simple leaves longer than 2cm. Haloragis erecta A common shrub of scrublands. Often weedy. Note 4 angled stem  Hebe stricta Korimiko. Lleaves 5-10 cm. long. Flowers white or mauve. Found on banks or roadsides. North Island and Marlborough Hebe speciosa. Leaves 4-8 cm long and broad. Leaf glossy top and bottom  Geniostoma ligustrifolium Hangehange. Shrub reaching 4m. Leaves 4-8 cm soft and shiny green. North Island to Marlborough Coriaria arborea. Tataramoa, Tutu. Leaves 3-10cm long oval. Shrub to 8 m. Forest and scrub on disturbed soils. Throughout NZ Olearia cheesemani Leaves 5 -10 cm long, silvery beneath. Shrub to 4 m. Common in cultivation Olearia furfuracea Leaves 5-10cm. long, obscurely toothed. North cape to the Ruahines Olearia rani Heketara. Shrub to 7m. red veins and midribs. North cape to Nelson Hoheria glabrata Leaves 5-12 cm long. Small tree or shrub to 10m.Western side of South Island.  Pratia physaloides Koru. Colensoa physaloides. Shrub to 1.5 m. Leaves 8-18 cm, similar to an Hydrangea. Soft and tender. Flowers and berries purple or violet. North of Whangarei Melicytus macrophyllus Large leaved Mahoe. Shrub reaching 6 m. Glossy leaves 7-15 cm long. Kaitaia to Dunedin  Myoporum laetum Ngaio. A shrub or small tree reaching 8 m. Leaves 3-10 cm. long. with small spotted glands. White flowers. Purple berries.  Solanum aviculare Poroporo. Softwooded shrub reaching 3 m. Leaves variable in shape about 10-30 cm. long. Purple flowers. Yellow or orange berries  Entelea arborescens Whau. Leaves 10-24 cm long rounded with small hairs. North Cape to Raglan near the coast. Local to Nelson Pseudopanax ferox Savage leaved lancewood. Leaves 7-15 cm. long. Small tree reaching 7m. Related to P.crassifolium  Dodonea viscosa Akeake NZ Hop Bush. Shrub or small tree reaching 10 m.Leaves 2-10 cm. Northcape to Greymouth in dry spots  Pisonia brunonnianum Parapara. Small tree or shrub reaching 10m. Leaves 10-40cm long, glossy green. Sticky seeds 3-5 cm long that may trap small birds and insects. Three Kings to East Cape  Mida salicifolia Maire Small tree or shrub. Leaves 7-12 cm long , variable in width. Lowland forests of the North Island  Elingamita johnsonii Shrub to 6 m.From west island on the Three Kings this plant is becoming more common in Northern gardens Grisilinia lucida Puka. Shrub reaching 8m., often an epiphyte on tall trees. Berry 8mm. long, dark purple Grisilinia litoralis Kapuka Broadleaf. Leaves 2-10cm long and assymetrical. Berry 6mm long black Pomaderris kumerahou Kumerahou, Gumdiggers soap. Leaves 5-8cm. long with prominent veins and midribs. A shrub to 3m. Flowers numerous and bright yellow in spring. North cape to Bay of Plenty  Meryta sinclarii Puka. Leaves about 30cm long. Endemic to three kings and hen and chicken Islands. Common in Northern gardens.Purple berries  Pseudowintera colorata Pepperwood Horopito. Leaves blotched red and peppery to taste. Rotorua to Stewart island Pittosporum  Pittosporum cornifolium Shrub reaching 2m. Often epiphytic. Leaves 4-7cm long in whorls. North Cape to Marlborough  Pittosporum eugenoides Lemonwood Tarata.Leaves 2-7cm long. glossy, light green and citrus scented when crushed. Shrub or small tree reaching 13m. North Cape to South Otago Distinguishing feature: leaves are citrus scented when crushed Pittosporum tenuifolium Pittosporum colensoi Mountain Pittosporum. Similar to Pitto. tenuifolium but with larger and glossier leaf. Found in alpine regions.  Pittosporum crassifolium Karo. Coastal Pittosporum. Leaves 5-12 cm. Leathery and hairy on the underside.  Pittosporum umbellatum Haekaro. A coastal Pittosporum found from Coromandel north. Similar to Karo but leaves less leathery Pittosporum virgatum Rare Pittosporum of the North. Leaves 2-4 cm. long
Small leaved alternate shrubs with smooth margins
 Kunzea ericoides Kanuka White tea tree. Shrub or tree reaching 16m. Bark thin, peels in strips. Leaves narrow and linear, 5-15 mm. soft to touch. Small white flowers in bunches, late spring. Fruit a capsule to 5mm. Found in shrubland throughout NZ  Manuka Red tea tree. Shrub or small tree reaching 8m. Leaves 1cm, pungent and pricks hand on touch. Flowers early spring 6-12 mm long, singular. Fruit a woody capsule 8-12mm. Found in shrubland throughout NZ  Linum monogynum NZ Linum Shrub to 1 m. Leaves bue/green. Tough fibrous stems, difficult to break by hand. White flowers Hymenanthera microphylla Thick leaved and leathery 5-12mm White berry 1cm. Found in coastal scrub Cook Strait and Banks Peninsula
 Lophomyrtus pedunculata Rohutu
Leaves 6-12 mm long red
and oval. Bay of Islands south  Lophomyrtus bullata Ramarama
Leaves1-3cm long swollen
or blistered between the veins. Sometimes red. Shrub reaching 8m. Berry
1cm long dark red to black Muehlenbeckia australis
Pohuehue Wireweed. Common on coastal gravels. Has tough
brown wirey stems. The fruit is a three angled nut 2mm
Pomaderris
phylicaecifloia Tauhinu. The margins of the leaves are
curled backwards, 1-2cm long. Common in shrublands.
Cassinia leptophylla
Tauhinau Leaves 2-3mm long, crowded on stem, margin folded
under
Corokia cotoneaster
Corokia Leaves 8-25mm. long. Shrub reaching 3m. North Cape
to Stewart Island
 Sophora prostrata
Dwarf Kowhai .
Excessively divaricating shrub with zigzag branches. Leaves 1-3 cm made of
3-11 leaflets. Banks Peninsula but common in gardens Pittosporum
pimelioides Leaves 1-4cm. long. Shrub to 2m. North Cape to
Bay of Islands
Pittosporum
micheii Leaves 1-4 cm. and in whorls. Shrub to 1m. North
Cape and Whangaroa
Small leaved alternate shrubs with toothed or lobed
margins
 Fuschia procumbens This ground herb is found in Northern coastal cliffs,
and is common in gardens  Pratia angulata Ground Hugging herb found from Auckland south
although common in shade  Alseuosmia banksii Karapapa
Gaultheria
antipoda Snowberry
Melicytus
micranthus Shrub reaching 5m. Flowers minute. berryb 3-6mm
purple. From Kaitaia to Otago
 Rhabdothamus solandri Turepo
, Waiuatua. Leaves 1-2cm
long, toothed. Flowers 2-2.5cm orange or yellow stripes. North Island
 Melicope simplex Leaves 1-2cm long, winged petiole. Shrub reaching 4
m. There are about
50 species of Coprosma that have small leaves. Many of them are
divaricating.
Coprosma all
have opposite leaves or branches, Stipules [a leaf sale at nodes]
and domatia [small holes at the junction of the midribs and veins]
They can be
difficult to identify. The colour of the berry is a big clue.
Click this
Coprosma
link for more info. on
all Coprosma
 Coprosma rhamnoides Leaves 6-12 mm long broadly oval. An
excessively divaricating shrub. Found in forests and scrub
throughout New Zealand. Fruit a red or black drupe Coprosma
acerosa Leaves 6-16mm long and linear. Berry pale blue or
translucent. Found on coastal sand dunes and common in ornamental gardens
Coprosma
kirkii This plant is common in gardens and is thought to be
a hybrid between Coprosma acerosa and Coprosma repens. More vigorous and
hardy than Cop. acerosa
Coprosma arboreus
Mamangi Tree Coprosma. Shrub or small tree reaching 10
metres, however it is the largest of the Coprosma . As the plant matures
into a tree the size of the leaf may increase to 5 cm. North Cape to about
Opotiki
 Coprosma spathulata Spoon shaped leaves with a winged petiole.
Often red or brown coloration in leaf. North cape to Waikato. Red or black
fruits  Coprosma rigida Swamp Coprosma
. Rigid branches that are
right angled. Bark sometimes reddish. Yellow and white fruit
6mm.Swamp Forests  Coprosma rotundifolia Leaves 10-12 mm. long orbicular. Orange
berries  Coprosma aff.neglecta Coprosma whangaroa.
Confined to Whangaroa
Harbour. Berries red, yellow and orange  Coprosma parviflora Leaves variable 4-18mm. long. Branchlets often
spreading and in one plane. Berry black to blue. Often found in high light
situations on riverbanks  Coprosma propinqua Leaves 5-12 mm. long and thick but variable. Shrub
reaching 7m. Berries blue or indigo Coprosma
depressa Leaves 4-6mm. long broadly oval. A prostrate shrub.
Red Berry
Pimelia
tomentosa Leaves 1-2.5cm long. A shrub reaching 1m Flowers in dense heads
. Fruit 5-7 mm long white. North Cape to Nelson
Olearia
virgata Leaves 6-12 mm. long linear. Branchlets round or 4
angled. Highly variable leaf shape. Thames to Stewart Island, shrub lands
and forest margins
Pimelia
prostrata Leaves 2-8mm long, blue-green. Clusters of
small white flowers.Dry places Three Kings to Bluff
Climbers
 Clematis paniculata Puawhananga
.Large woody climber
withn5-10cm flowers, very showy. Forests throughout NZ  Tecomanthe speciosa Large vigorous climber. Endemic to Three Kings
Islands although common in northern gardens. Large pendulous yellow
flowers  Rubus schmidelioides. Bush Lawyer. Leaves 5-12 cm long and toothed
 Rubus australis Bush lawyer.
leaves 5-10 cm long oval,
serrated. Prickles reddish. Fruit 8mm in diameter, yellow to red
 Metrosideros propinqua Small white rata.
Common Climber. White
showy flowers in autumn  Parsonsia heterophylla Native Jasmine Kaihua.
Opposite leaves 5-10cm.
The fruit is a long narrow pod which opens to release the tufted seeds.
Small but obvious white flowers. Metrosideros
carminea. Leaves 1.5-3cm long. Carmine red flowers. Mangonui
to East Cape
Trees with
simple leaves
Pennantia corymbosa
Kaikomako A tree reaching 12 m. Has a juvenile divaricating
form with interlacing twigs and branches. Leaves 3-10cm irregularly
toothed . Fruit a small black drupe 8mm long.
 Carpodetus serrata Putaputaweta.
Leaves 2-5 cm long,
smaller when young. Yellowish blotches on leaves. Zig zagging branches.
 Knightia excelsa Rewarewa
Tree reaching 30 m. Leaves
10-15 cm, coarsely toothed. Flowers velvety red and yellow. fruit like a
canoe 4-6cm.Common tree of ridges and dry spots. North cape to
Marlborough. Paratrophis
Milkwood. Tree reaching 12m. leaves 8-18 mm long in
juveniles and and older trees up to 6cm. Berry 4mm red. Found throughout
NZ
 Toronia toru Toru Tree reaching 15m.Leaves 8-12 cm long with a red
petiole. Fruit a pungent purple berry. North Cape to East Cape on dry
ridges  Corynocarpus laevigatus Karaka
Tree reaching 18m. Leaves
7-30cm long, thick glossy.Berry orange colour 3-4 cm long. North cape to
Westland.  Belschmedia taraire Taraire
Common tree to 25 m of
Northern lowland coastal forests. Blue underside to leaf. Leaf to 10cm x
6cm. Berry a purple drupe 2-5 cm long Belschmiedia tawa
Tawa Leaves 5-10 cm long, thin, dull blue on underside,
yellowish green above. Berry 2.5cm long dark purple. Tall tree of Northern
forest reaching 25 metres
Myrsine salicina
Toro. Leaves 7-18 cm. long tree reaching 10m. North Island
forests & the West Coast
Litsea
calicaris Mangeao
 Planchonella costata Tawapou
Tree reaching 20m. Leaves
5-10 cm long, shining green. Red berry 2.5-4cm long,of 2or3 hard banana
shaped seeds. Found on coastal headlands Northcape to Opotiki
trees with
Compound leaves
Ackama rosaefolia
Makamaka Tree reaching 13 metresl Leaves 7-25cm long;
leaflets 3-8cm long, mild serrations on margins
 Sophora
Kowhai Leaves
of 25-40 leaflets each leaflet 6-8mm long. Tree reaching 10 metres with a
distinct divaricating juvenile form.Deciduous  Vitex lucens Puriri Leaves of3-5 leaflets, each 5-12 cm long,
glossy green. Common tree of northern lowland forests. Fruit a red berry
with seeds inside a hard Kernel  Alectryon excelsa Titoki tree reaching 20 metres Compound leaves Fruit
a hard black capsule external to a red berry Northern Forests
 Weinmannia racemosa kamahi.
Tree reaching 25m. Leaves
10-12 cm long 3 -5 foliate. Found from Bombay Hills South Weinmannia silvicola Towai,
Tawhero . Leaves 10-12 cm long 3 -5 foliate. Found from
Bombay Hills North. Dull white flowers
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