Kauri
Agathis australis · Araucariaceae · also New Zealand kauri
New Zealand's giant, a conifer typically 30 to 60 m tall with a smooth grey branch-free trunk 3 to 4 m (rarely 7 m) across and a huge spreading crown. Tāne Mahuta in Waipoua Forest is the most famous tree in the country. Logging and gum digging destroyed most kauri forest, and the soil-borne pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida (kauri dieback) now kills trees of all ages; the species is listed At Risk - Declining and is managed under a National Pest Management Plan.
Where it stands
Native
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand · Endemic to the northern North Island; At Risk - Declining (2023); kauri dieback is managed under the National Pest Management Plan 2022 with track closures and hygiene stationssource
Care
Plant only within or near its natural range, in well-drained soil, ideally with nurse cover or in a dense grove on good sites. Never move soil from near existing kauri, clean footwear and tools, and follow track closures and cleaning-station rules. Growth is slow; it needs little pruning. Goats and possums browse seedlings.
Benefits
Good for