I've recently been interested to read in NZ Gardener Magazine about an 82 year old lady named Jan Chaffey down on NZ's South Island. She began planting kowhais in her 70's after deciding that she couldn't look after a garden any longer. And so she started buying and planting out different kowhai (pronounced "koh-fie") to make her own kowhai "forest."
It turns out there are eight different species native to New Zealand (Sophora microphylla, Sophora prostrata, Sophora macrocarpa, Sophora tetraptera, Sophora godleyii, Sohpora longicarinata, Sophora molloyi, and Sophora fulvida), two Chilean varieties (Sophora cassioides and Sophora 'Sun King') and one originating from Lord Howe Island (Sophora howinsula). While we knew there were native and Chilean varieties, we had no idea there were quite this many.
As you might suspect, John and I were intrigued by the idea of a kowhai "forest." Okay, maybe a "cluster." I've decided to see how many of these variants we can find and plant. Right now we're thinking we'll plant them out near the second tawa grove here at Struan Farm, an area that is fenced. We'll need to protect them with from the rabbits with chicken wire initially. The last young kowhais we planted there were nibbled down to stubbles by rabbits. But it's adjacent to one of our QEII bush reserves, one which has older established kowhais that the native birds, especially tuis and wood pigeons, love.
So far I have acquired Sophora tetraptera, Sophora prostrata "Little Baby," Sophora microphylla "Dragon's Gold," and Sophora chathamica. Apparently this last one was included as a variant of Sophora mycrophylla prior to 2001, so the number of native varieties now might be in fact nine. It is a North Island "coastal kowhai," growing as far south as Taranaki and as far north as Cape Reinga. I also found another variant of "prostrata" from our local native plant nursery, which they indicated is from the Manawatu. I'll need to check to see which varieties we've already got around the property to see if they're the same, or different, to these. We think we've got one of the Chilean varieties growing down at the pond.
Another project that gives me license to cruise the garden centres and nurseries, which is fine with me!
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