Putaputawētā is a beautiful tree of Āotearoa’s native forests, coastal lowlands and wetland margins and is of great importance to their wildlife too. It is also known as marble leaf due to the mottled appearance of its darkly-veined leaves.

Once established, this adaptable tree bears masses of fragrant, starry white flowers in spring and early summer, followed by heavy clusters of small berries that darken to deep purple-black. These are a favourite food of birds and lizards, which disperse the seed freely.

Putaputawētā is a host for the larvae of the pūriri moth, which, over time, bores a hook-shaped aperture in the timber and feeds on wood and bark, protected by a well camouflaged silk cover hiding  the entrance. When these magnificent moths hatch between eight months and seven years later, wētā move in and use the burrows for shelter and protection during daylight hours. The name putaputawētā translates to “tree of many, many wētā”.

This tree is adaptable, more common in warmer northerly regions but also grows in various habitats and in a range of soils. Though not a forest giant, it can grow up to 10m, and is easily among the most distinctive and elegant of our understorey trees.

On Motutapu, it is thriving in the lower, damper areas of the island’s maturing forest.