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You
are Here > NATIVES
> Lowland> Five
finger, Puahou
| Common
name: Five finger, Puahou |
Botanical
name: Pseudopanax arboreus |
| Family:
Araliaceae (Aralia family) |
Maximum height: 8
metres |
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| Where found: |
- Sea level to 760 m
- Tolerates a variety of sites from poor soils to soils that are
wet to dry
- Mature forest/regenerating forest/forest margins and open scrub.
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| Description: |
- Much branched, round-headed tree with thick, brittle, spreading
branches.
- Small tree - it can be epiphytic on tree fern trunks, with its
roots descending to the ground.
- Compound 5 to 7 leaflets 10-20 cm long by 4-7 cm wide, leathery,
with coarsely serrated margins.
- Male and female flowers on different trees. The sweet-scented
flowers are borne in June to September.
- The bark of young 5 finger is relatively smooth with dark streaks.
- Birds eat the small dark purple fruit.
- Tolerant of frost/wind/salt. Environmental
Tolerances - key
- Leaves, flowers, buds and fruit palatable to possums
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PHOTO:
Barry Hartley
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