mānatu

Plagianthus regius subsp. regius | mānatu, ribbonwood, lowland ribbonwood

A hardy, medium-sized, wind-resistant, and spreading tree with both juvenile and adult foliage phases. Young plants display a twiggy, divaricating structure with small, mid-green leaves, which are replaced by larger, birch-like leaves as the tree matures. Soon after the spring emergence of foliage, clusters of showy cream (or small yellow) flowers appear. This fast-growing, semi-deciduous tree can reach 5 meters in height and 4 meters in width, even thriving on exposed sites. It is a good choice for shelter or as a specimen tree and is commonly used in mixed plantings or revegetation programs.