Nikau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nikau |
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| Conservation status | |
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Rhopalostylidinae
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| Genus: |
Rhopalostylis
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| Species: |
R. sapida
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| Rhopalostylis sapida H.Wendl. & Drude
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The nīkau (Rhopalostylis sapida) is a special type of palm that only grows in New Zealand. It is the only palm tree that grows naturally there. You won't find it growing wild anywhere else in the world!
The word Nīkau comes from the Māori people. In other languages of the Pacific islands, it means the leaves of a coconut palm.
The Māori used the nīkau palm for many things. They ate the soft parts of the inner leaves and the young flowers. They could eat them raw or cooked. They also used the big leaves to wrap food for cooking. The older, tougher leaves were great for making baskets, floor rugs, and even waterproof roofs for their buildings.
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Where the Nīkau Palm Lives
The nīkau palm likes to live near the coast and in lowland forests. You can find it on New Zealand's North Island and South Island. It loves places where there is a lot of humidity (moisture in the air). It is the palm tree that grows furthest south in the world!
What the Nīkau Palm Looks Like
The nīkau palm can grow very tall. It has a thick, green trunk with marks from old leaves. At the top of the trunk, there's a smooth, round part called a crown. From this crown, many long, green leaves (called fronds) spread out.
The nīkau's flowers are a pretty lilac to pink color. After the flowers, it grows fruit that is round or oval. The fruit turns bright red when it is ready. Nīkau palms usually have flowers between November and April, which is summer in New Zealand. The fruit ripens from February to November. These ripe fruits are a favorite snack for the native wood pigeon.
Caring for a Nīkau Palm
The nīkau palm makes a great plant for a pot, and it's quite healthy. It grows slowly, but it's easy to grow from a seed. First, you need to soak the fruit in water for a few days. Then, gently scrub off the skin. After that, you can put the seed in a sealed plastic bag in a shady spot. Once it starts to sprout, you can plant it in a deep pot.
The nīkau palm does well in cool weather. In New Zealand, it doesn't usually get very cold. It can even survive a few degrees of frost. However, it doesn't like a sudden big drop in temperature, even if it's not freezing. It grows best in places with a mild Mediterranean-like climate, which means warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
Images for kids
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Profile of two 35 year old Rhopalostylis sapida with their root systems from Auckland, New Zealand, by Axel Aucouturier (2020)
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Nīkau palm trunk on Point Elizabeth walkway, Greymouth
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The Chatham Islands nīkau is particularly distinctive
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Outstanding nīkau palm
See also
In Spanish: Nikau para niños
