Rewarewa is one of the backbone species of MRT’s reforestation project on Motutapu. This tree supports plant and animal wildlife in a predator-free environment, while tolerating challenging growing environments.

It is a relatively easy tree to identify with brush-like red flowers with prominent stamens and tightly curled sepals.It has long tough leaves wavy at the edge and prickly to the touch. Rather than an edible nut, rewarewa produces a woody, spiky seed structure covered in brown, velvety down. In the forest, this tree’s distinctive, symmetrical cone shape can be seen clearly among other species, as it shoots upwards to an impressive 25 to 30 metres at maturity.

Rewarewa flowers yield plentiful food for tūī, korimako and other nectar feeders, and provide a rich source of insect life for wildlife year-round. Pīwakawaka/fantail, riroriro/grey warbler and tauhou/waxeye are frequent visitors, and tūī often build nests within this generous food source. Māori extracted the nectar by agitating the flowers in gourds, and the tree produces a delicious mild honey. One thing rewarewa is not great for is firewood, which is how it came by the name “Bucket of Water Tree”.

It is an ideal tree for the rigours of coastal life, tough, wind-proof and tolerant of salt winds and poor soils. This makes it invaluable as a pioneer species too, providing protection for the forest trees which require more sheltered and specific conditions to grow well.

On Motutapu, a small number of rewarewa persisted in patches of remnant bush which survived clear-felling of the island for grazing land, so mature trees can be seen on the motu. MRT volunteers have added to the rewarewa count significantly, planting several hundred on Motutapu since the early 1990s.

Its form is now prominent in the Home Bay forest and it is maturing and seeding freely on the island and neighbouring Rangitoto again. Seeing these seedlings appearing on their own accord is very satisfying as we have set the scene for nature to take over and it is.