kareao

Ripogonum scandens | kareao, supplejack, pirita

 

Supplejack is a vigorous, woody vine found throughout Aotearoa’s lowland to montane forests, where it clambers through the canopy or forms dense tangles on the forest floor. From stubby underground rhizomes, its dark stems can grow up to 5 cm a day in summer, twisting anticlockwise around any available support as they climb toward the light. In summer it produces clusters of small greenish-yellow flowers, followed by bright red berries that birds eagerly feed on.

In the garden, Supplejack is rarely used ornamentally, but with imagination it can become a striking sculptural centrepiece, its bare black stems twisting and knotting into dramatic forms. It prefers moist, shaded sites and plenty of space to sprawl or climb.

coastal forest

lowland forest

montane forest

moist

well drained

full shade

partial shade

height | 10m

width | 10m

flowering | October - May

fruiting | Throughout the year

Kareao has long been valued by Māori for its strength and versatility. Its tender young shoots were eaten as a vegetable, the roots brewed into a tonic drink, and the stems woven into eel traps, bindings, ladders, and even shelters. Strong yet pliable, this endemic vine is both a provider of food and a builder’s material — a true forest multitool.