Kawakawa (latin name: Macropiper excelsum) is one of two native New Zealand species known as the Pepper Tree. It has palm-sized, dark green, heart shaped leaves that appear to buckle at the edges. The leaves often have holes in them as since the plant is non-toxic many insects tend to graze on it.
This plant is very child friendly, as you can pick the leaves straight off the plant and chew on them. They are mildly hot and a little spicy as the common name suggests, and the different sized have differ in potency. Swallowing parts of the leaf will also cause no harm. Good memories I have that are associated with this plant include going on a school camp up Mount Taranaki and doing a series of challenges - one of them was to eat a particularly large leaf (no problem really as I would always eat them when my family went tramping!)
The flowers of Kawakawa are not really that normal, looking more like immature cones and relying on wind pollination rather than bees. they are pale green to yellow pillars depending on what subspecies you have come across.
Early Maori had many uses for this plant. Among them were chewing the leaves to reduce the symptoms of toothache and burning them creates a smoke that repels insects. An interesting thing to remember if your favourite campsite has issues with bugs and there is a patch of bush nearby (check with camp management if there is a fire ban first!!!!)
Photo credit (in order): earthenergiesnz.com, visitzelandia.com, whangareiflora.weebly.com, nzpcn.org.nz
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