Hoheria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hoheria |
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| Hoheria populnea | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Subfamily: | Malvoideae |
| Tribe: | Malveae |
| Genus: | Hoheria A.Cunn. |
| Species | |
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Hoheria (say "ho-HAIR-ee-uh") is a group of six types of flowering plants. They belong to the plant family called Malvaceae, which also includes hibiscus and cotton. All Hoheria plants grow naturally only in New Zealand. This means they are endemic to New Zealand.
The name Hoheria comes from the Māori language word houhere. People also call these plants lacebark or ribbonwood. The name 'lacebark' is used because the inner bark of the tree looks like lace!
About Hoheria Trees
Most Hoheria plants are evergreen, meaning they keep their leaves all year round. However, one type, Hoheria glabrata (also known as mountain ribbonwood), is deciduous. This means it loses its leaves in autumn, just like many trees in colder places.
These plants can be big shrubs or small trees. They usually grow about 6 to 10 meters (20 to 33 feet) tall. In summer or autumn, they produce many beautiful white flowers. These flowers have five petals and smell very nice. Butterflies love to visit them!
The flowers grow from the leaf joints on small stems. After the flowers, they make hard, dry seed capsules. The leaves of Hoheria plants have jagged or toothed edges. They can be oval or spear-shaped. Young Hoheria plants might have different-looking leaves that can even look a bit shiny or metallic.
Growing Hoheria Plants
Some types of Hoheria are grown in gardens in New Zealand and Great Britain because they are very pretty. They are known as ornamental plants.
For example, H. sexstylosa can handle cold temperatures down to about -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit). Hoheria glabrata is also very good at surviving frost.
Gardeners have created many special types of Hoheria, called cultivars, for different gardens. One special hybrid (a mix of two types) called 'Glory of Amlwch' has even won an award called the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. This award means it's a great plant for gardens!
Species of Hoheria
Here are the six main types of Hoheria plants:
- Hoheria angustifolia – known as narrow-leaved lacebark or narrow-leaved houhere
- Hoheria equitum – known as Poor Knights houhere
- Hoheria glabrata – known as mountain lacebark or mountain ribbonwood
- Hoheria lyallii – known as mountain lacebark
- Hoheria populnea – known as New Zealand mallow, lacebark or houhere
- Hoheria sexstylosa – known as long-leaved lacebark or long-leaved ribbonwood
See also
In Spanish: Hoheria para niños
