horopito
Pseudowintera colorata | mountain horopito, red horopito
A popular native shrub, celebrated for its vibrant, aromatic foliage and distinctive hot, peppery taste. New growth emerges with dominant red tones, maturing into green-yellow leaves with striking red edges. In spring, small, yellow-green flowers develop into tiny, dark fruits. This versatile evergreen typically reaches 3m tall and 2m wide. It's excellent for mixed plantings, can be formally hedged, used as a backdrop for smaller plants, or mass-planted for a stunning display. While frost tender in its first year, it thrives in moist, organically rich soil.
typical habitat.
coastal forest
lowland forest
montane forest
forest margins
shrubland
drainage.
dry
free draining
well drained
moist
sun.
full sun
partial shade
mature specifications.
height | 3m
width | 2m
pollinators calendar.
flowering | November-March
fruiting | December-June
did you know?
Horopito is among the world's most ancient flowering plants, notable for its unusual characteristic of producing flowers directly from older stems rather than from new growth or among its leaves.