Introduction

Find the best time of year and what to look for when collecting native seeds of trees and shrubs.

Use this table to check for the optimal time of year for collection, as well as what to look for when collecting native seeds of trees and shrubs. Read this in conjunction with the Seed collection and propagation guide for native trees and shrubs.

Botanical name

Common name

Colour of ripe fruit/seed case

Feb

Mar
April

May
June

July- Oct

Nov- Jan

Agathis australis

kauri

brown cone

 

y

 

 

 

Alectryon excelus

titoki

red-black fruit

y

 

 

 

y

Aristotelia serrata

makomako / wineberry

red-black fruit

 

y

 

 

 

Beilschmiedia taraire

taraire

purple drupe

 

y

 

 

 

Beilschmiedia tawa

tawa

purple drupe

y

y

 

 

 

Brachyglottis repanda

rangiora

dry brown seed

 

 

 

 

y

Carpodetus serratus

putaputaweta

red-black fruit

 

 

y

 

 

Coprosma arborea

mamangi

white fruit

y

y

y

y

y

Coprosma areolata

 

dark blue fruit

 

y

 

 

 

Coprosma grandifolia

kanono

red fruit

y

y

 

 

 

Coprosma lucida

shining karamu

red fruit

 

y

 

 

 

Coprosma propinqua

mingimingi

blue fruit

 

y

y

 

 

Coprosma rhamnoides

 

ruby red fruit

 

y

y

 

 

Coprosma rigida

 

yellow fruit

 

y

y

 

 

Coprosma robusta

karamu

orange fruit

y

y

y

 

 

Coprosma rotundifolia

 

red/two-lobed fruit

y

 

 

 

y

Coprosma spathulata

 

red / orange / black fruit

 

y

y

 

 

Coprosma tenuicaulis

swamp coprosma

black fruit

 

y

y

 

 

Cordyline australis

cabbage tree / ti kouka

cream fruit

y

y

 

 

 

Cordyline banksii

bush cabbage tree

cream-blue fruit

y

y

 

 

 

Dacrycarpus dacrydioides

kahikatea

orange-red fruit

y

y

 

 

 

Dacrydium cupressinum

rimu

red fruit

y

y

y

 

 

Dysoxylum spectabile

kohekohe

orange fruit

 

 

y

 

 

Elaeocarpus dentatus

hinau

dark brown fruit

 

y

y

 

 

Elaeocarpus hookerianus

pokaka

purple-black drupe

 

y

 

 

 

Fuchsia excorticata

kotukutuku

red-purple fruit

y

 

 

 

y

Geniostema ligustrifolium

hangehange

dry brown capsule

 

y

 

 

 

Hebe stricta

koromiko

brown capsule

 

y

y

 

 

Hedycarya arborea

pigeonwood / porokaiwhiri

orange fruit

 

 

 

 

y

Hoheria sexstylosa

lacebark / hohere

dry brown

 

y

y

 

 

Knightia excelsa

rewarewa

brown capsule

 

 

y

 

 

Kunzea species

kanuka

dry brown capsule

 

y

 

 

 

Laurelia novae zelandiae

pukatea

green capsule

 

y

y

 

 

Leptospermum scoparium

manuka

brown capsule

y

y

y

y

y

Leucopogon fasciculatus

mingimingi

crimson fruit

y

y

 

 

 

Litsea calicaris

mangeo

blue-purple fruit

 

y

 

 

 

Melicope simplex

poataniwha

dry capsule

y

y

 

 

 

Melicytus ramiflorus

mahoe

white-purple fruit

y

y

 

 

 

Metrosideros excelsa

pohutukawa

dry brown seed

y

y

 

 

 

Myrsine australis

mapou / red matipo

black fruit

 

y

y

y

 

Nestegis lanceolata

maire

yellow fruit

y

 

 

 

 

Olearia rani

heketara

fluffy white seed

 

 

 

 

y

Pennantia corymbosa

kaikomako

black fruit

y

 

 

 

 

Piper excelsum

kawakawa

yellow-orange fruit

y

 

 

 

y

Phylloclladus trichomanoides

tanekaha

cone

 

y

y

 

 

Plagianthus regius

ribbonwood / manatu

dry brown capsule

y

y

 

 

 

Podocarpus totara

totara

yellow-red fruit

y

y

 

 

 

Prumnopitys ferruginea

miro

red fruit

 

y

y

 

 

Prumnopitys taxifolia

matai

black fruit

y

y

 

 

 

Pseudopanax arboreus

five finger

black fruit

 

y

y

 

 

Pseudopanax crassifolius

lancewood / horoeka

black fruit

 

 

 

y

 

Rhabdothamnus solandri

taurepo

dry capsule

y

y

y

 

 

Rhopalostylis sapida

nikau

red fruit

 

y

 

 

 

Schefflera digitata

pate / patete

white-purple fruit

 

y

y

 

 

Sophora microphylla

kowhai

dry brown pod

y

y

y

 

 

Streblus heterophyllus

turepo

red fruit

y

 

 

 

 

Syzygium maire

swamp maire

red-black fruit

y

 

 

 

 

Vitex lucens

puriri

pink or black fruit

y

y

 

 

 

Weinmannia racemosa

kamahi

capsule

 

y

 

 

 

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