Kahikatea is a native softwood, favoured for amenity and wetland restoration. It is found throughout New Zealand, tolerates cold and grows to altitudes of 600-700 m but is most commonly found in wet lowland forests. It once grew widely in North Island swamps and river flats, until these were cleared for farmland.

Where does kahikatea grow NZ?

Kahikatea grows throughout New Zealand and is commonest in riverine and swamp forests where it is often found in almost pure stands. It was in such a location, on the Waihou River near Thames, in 1794 that the British ship Fancy secured 200 spars ranging in length from 18 to 43 metres.

How do you identify kahikatea?

Most of the year, kahikatea does not bear recognizable reproductive structures, and in its native forest it is commonly so tall that foliage characters are of little use in identification. The bark characters and tree form are thus the principal aid in field identification.