THE WHAU.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 12 November 1920, Page 4

THE WHAU.

WHY NOT GROW IT? "It has always surprised me that there is not a single specimen of the whan in any of our parks," said Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., who is a keen botanist, and is specially interested in native flora (states the "Auckland Star"). Mr Poynton was discussing with a reporter the advisability of planting more native trees and shrubs •in public places, and he commented on the fact that while children were quite. familiar with many exotics they were quite ignorant of many of the beautiful trees of the New Zealand bush. It T was then that he referred specially to the whau, about which there are j several peculiarities. It is the onlyy tree of its genus, is peculiarly re-1 stricted in its' habitat, and must at one time have beou subject, to some enemy, as the seeds'are contained in a prickly protective covering very much like a chestnut. The whau is found only in the northern pnrt of the Auckland province, parts of the Bast Coast, at Paraparaumu (Wellington), and at . only one spot in the South Island —at J Collingwood. Perhaps it would be advisable to.use the past tense, as it. j rapidly disappearing before the ravages of live stock. Thn whau is the lightest wood knovn, and is only about half as heavy as cork. It was i used by the Maori before the advent I of the pakeha for making floats for hi: j fishing nets,. It is a handsome shrub or tree, and can be quite easily grown with ordinary protsction. Specimens do very well in Auckland. The tree is remarkable for its large light gresn , leaves, something like a vine leaf i which sometimes measure nearly fi.

j foot each way. In the spring the tree j looks its best, with its quantities of ' oreamv white flowers.