manoao

Manoao colensoi | manoao, silver pine

A slow-growing, endemic conifer, small to medium in size and evergreen. It features a straight, clear trunk and slender, weeping branchlets, often displaying a mix of juvenile and adult leaf forms. Initially cone-shaped, it develops a tall, moderately spreading crown with age. Preferring partial shade and moist, free-draining, acidic soils, it is tolerant of hard frosts. While found in both the North and South Islands, it is uncommon in the North Island, mainly occurring around the mountains of the Central Volcanic Plateau. It also produces small, fleshy cones.