tāwhairaunui
Fuscospora truncata | hard beech, tāwhairaunui
Distinguished by its glossy, bright green leaves it features hard, silica-rich bark and develops slowly into a stately, buttressed tree. This evergreen New Zealand native tolerates dry conditions, coastal sites and strong winds once established. Flowers and fruit small and usually inconspicuous but change colour of tree when in flower.
lowland forest
montane forest
free draining
dry
full sun
partial shade
height | 36m
width | 4m / 1.2m (trunk)
flowering | September - December
The bark of has a high tannin content and has traditionally been used for tanning leather.