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Trees

Meryta sinclairii

puka

A tender evergreen tree, fast growing, up to around 5m high in cultivation. Leaves are bright green, leathery and glossy with wavy edges and pale undersides, and can be up to 50cm long, often clustered at the ends of the branches forming a rounded crown. Produces large panicles of small, pale whitish-green flowers, followed by small green berries that ripen to black

Other common names

pukanui

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Araliaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Columnar upright, Bushy
Name status: Correct
Plant range: New Zealand

How to grow

Cultivation

Suitable for only the warmest regions of the UK, where it will thrive in humus-rich, free draining soil and will tolerate wind, salt and some drought once established. Needs to be kept frost-free to survive over winter

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown as soon as ripe. Plants may self-seed in place

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Hedging and screens

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free, though young plants may be susceptible to damage by rodents

Diseases

May be susceptible to phytophthora and verticillium wilt

Get involved

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