Rōhutu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rōhutu |
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| In Auckland Botanic Gardens | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lophomyrtus
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| Species: |
obcordata
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The rōhutu (scientific name: Lophomyrtus obcordata) is a special kind of evergreen shrub found only in New Zealand. It's also sometimes called tutuhi. An evergreen plant keeps its leaves all year round, even in winter! Rōhutu belongs to the myrtle family, which includes many plants known for their fragrant leaves and flowers. You can usually find rōhutu growing in lowland forests and along the edges of these forests.
Contents
What Does Rōhutu Look Like?
The rōhutu plant can grow quite tall, up to about 8 meters (which is like two stories of a house!). It has many branches that grow very close together, making it look bushy.
Rōhutu's Unique Leaves
The leaves of the rōhutu are small, usually about 5 to 10 millimeters wide and long. What makes them special is a clear notch at the very end, which makes them look a bit like tiny hearts! If you look closely at the underside of the leaves, you might see tiny dots. These are actually oil glands, which hold fragrant oils.
Flowers and Berries
In the summer, rōhutu plants produce small, pretty white flowers. After the flowers, the plant grows small, round berries. These berries can be different shades, from bright red to dark red or even black. They are about 4 to 8 millimeters wide, which is smaller than a pea. The berries ripen during the summer and autumn months.
Rōhutu's Relatives and Reproduction
Rōhutu is part of a small group of plants called the Lophomyrtus genus. There's only one other plant in this group, called ramarama.
How Rōhutu Makes New Plants
Rōhutu can easily mix its genes with ramarama. This is called hybridizing. When two different but related plants hybridize, they create new types of plants that have features from both parents. Because of this, plant growers have created many interesting new rōhutu plants with different leaf shapes and colors, which are sold in nurseries.
You can grow new rōhutu plants in two main ways:
- From cuttings: This means taking a piece of a healthy rōhutu branch and planting it so it can grow roots and become a new plant.
- From seeds: You can also plant the seeds from the rōhutu's berries.
Uses of Rōhutu Wood
The wood of the rōhutu tree is very special. It has a beautiful red color and is very dense and hard. Because it's so strong and pretty, it has been used for small, detailed woodworking projects, like decorative inlays in furniture or other crafts.
