Kowhai facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kowhai
Parrot feeding on kōwhai nectar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Tribe:	Sophoreae
Genus:	Sophora L.
Type species
Sophora tomentosa L.
Species
About 60-70 species

The Kōwhai is a special tree from New Zealand. It's a type of small, woody tree that belongs to the pea family. There are eight different kinds, or species, of Kōwhai trees.

You can find Kōwhai growing naturally near streams and at the edges of forests. They like open areas, whether in lowlands or mountains. These trees are very common and are often seen in gardens all over New Zealand.

Many people think the Kōwhai flower is New Zealand's national flower. However, it doesn't officially have that title. The word kōwhai also means the colour yellow in the Māori language. This is because of the bright yellow colour of its flowers. It's important to know that all parts of the Kōwhai tree, especially its seeds, are not safe for humans to eat.

What Kōwhai Trees Look Like

Most Kōwhai trees grow to be about 8 meters (26 feet) tall. They have smooth bark and small leaves. After the flowers bloom, unique seed pods appear. These pods hold six or more smooth, hard seeds. Most Kōwhai species have bright yellow seeds.

You can often spot a Kōwhai tree by looking at the ground. Hundreds of these bright yellow seeds might be scattered around it. Many Kōwhai trees lose most of their leaves right after they flower. This usually happens in October or November. But don't worry, they quickly grow new leaves.

Kōwhai trees flower at different times from July to November. This means birds like tui, wood pigeons, and bellbirds can enjoy their nectar for a long time. Tui birds especially love Kōwhai nectar. They will fly far just to get a taste!

If you plant a Kōwhai from a seed, it can take many years for it to flower. The exact number of years depends on the type of Kōwhai. The wood from Kōwhai trees is very strong and dense. In the past, people used it to make tools and parts for machines.

Kōwhai and Māori Culture

The Māori have a long history of using the Kōwhai tree. They used its flexible branches to build parts of their houses. They also used the branches to make traps for catching birds. The bright yellow Kōwhai flowers were used to make a yellow dye.

Kōwhai was also an important medicine for Māori. They would heat the bark with hot stones inside a calabash (a type of gourd). This heated bark was then made into a poultice. A poultice is like a soft, moist cloth that is put on the body. It was used to help heal wounds or rubbed on a sore back.

Sometimes, the bark was made into a liquid medicine called an infusion. This infusion was used to treat bruises or muscle pains. There are stories that if someone was bitten by a seal, an infusion from Kōwhai was put on the wounds. It was said that the person would get better in just a few days.

Images for kids

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  Kōwhai flowers

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  Kōwhai tree in full bloom, before leaves appear

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  Sophora tetraptera leaves

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  Kōwhai flowers and leaves

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  Kōwhai tree flowering