Ti Kouka
Common name: Cabbage tree
Botanical name: Cordyline australis
The ti kouka is a very distinctive tree that grows from sea level to 600 metres altitude and ranges over the whole of New Zealand. It grows along forest margins, in clearings and around swamps. With its strap-like leaves and huge panicles of strongly scented creamy white flowers in spring it presents a striking spectacle at any time of the year.
Ti kouka grows from 12 to 20 metres tall and can have one tall, straight trunk or many trunks growing from a central point. The tree at GZ is multi-trunked, but there are others in the same area with single trunks.
Leaves
The leaves are from 30 to 100 cms long, 3 to 6 cms wide and are grouped in tufts at the end of each branch. On young trees there are no branches and the leaves grow all the way up the stem with a tuft at the top. As the tree ages the tree starts to develop branches and the stem leaves turn brown and eventually fall off. Mature trees shed old leaves throughout the year.
Flower panicle
The flowers are borne in large panicles in late spring and early summer and are creamy-white in colour and strongly scented. They attract many insects that seek their nectar. These are followed by numerous small fruits which the birds love to eat as a winter treat. The dead flower panicle hangs from the tree for a long time before it eventually falls off.
The ti kouka at GZ
The cache
The cache is a 500 ml plastic container and at time of placement contained a log book inside a small plastic cannister. Please bring your own pen or pencil to sign the log. Online entries that are not also in the paper log will be deleted.