Kowhai

Sophora subsp. var.	Kowhai
	The query description has an empty condition.: tree Height: ⇕ to Width: ⇔ to 5m12m 4m10m Height: ⇕ 5 m to 12 m Width: ⇔ 4 m to 10 m The query description has an empty condition.: ⌛ perennial Origin: ✈ New Zealand Poisonous: ☠ All parts should be considered poisonous Bloom: ❀ early spring, mid spring	The query description has an empty condition.: ☼ sun, part-sun The query description has an empty condition.: ◍ moist, moderate Features: ✓ evergreen, flowers, birds, wildlife, bonsai, hummingbirds Hidden fields, interally pass variables to right place Minimum Temp: ☃ °F USDA Zones: to Sunset Zones: Flower features: ❀ yellow
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Kowhai are a tree native to New Zealand. They are a legume in the genus Sophora. In total there are eight species, of which S. microphylla is the most common.

Cultivation

The kowhai is a common feature along river edges throughout all of New Zealand. The trees will usually get to around 8 metres high with a similar spread. They prefer free draining soil.

Propagation

The seeds need to be treated specially to make them grow. In nature the hard outer shell of the Kowhai seed erodes away as it tumbles down streams, so the shell needs to be damaged somehow to allow water to soak into it. To allow this, one can take small nicks out of the shell using a pair of nail clippers or some similar instrument. After the chitting, the seed needs to be placed in a container of water to soak for a night.
The seeds are best planted in a coarse mix to allow for good drainage, this prevents rotting or fungal infections.
The germination period is 14-21 days.

The Kowhai can be grown from cuttings during autumn and early winter. They will take about 60-100 days to root and can be planted out in spring.

Species

• S. chathamica
• S. fulvida
• S. godleyi
• S. longicarinata
• S. microphylla
• S. molloyi
• S. prostrata
• S. tetraptera

Gallery

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Kowhai. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Kowhai QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)