tawhai
Lophozonia menziesii | silver beech, tawhai
A handsome and hardy evergreen tree with striking silver bark it is a common forest canopy tree. It tolerates wide ranging conditions from coastal to alpine and particularly thrives in wetter climates. Being a larger forest tree it is great for establishing regnerative bush, shelter belts and clipped into a hedge. While its ultimate size is substantial, it's a slow grower, requiring many years to reach its full potential and can be maintained in a manageable size in an urban or house garden setting.
typical habitat.
lowland forest
montane forest
subalpine scrub (as a shrub)
drainage.
moist
sun.
full shade
partial shade
full sun
mature specifications.
height | 25m
width | 5m / 60cm (trunk)
pollinators calendar.
flowering | November–January
fruiting | January–March
did you know?
Three native mistletoe species rely on beech forests. One of these, the korukoru or crimson mistletoe (Peraxilla colensoi), boasts scarlet (sometimes yellow) flowers and can grow up to three meters wide, almost exclusively on silver beech trees.
