Kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides)
A towering relic of ancient New Zealand forests, the Kahikatea is Aotearoa’s tallest native tree, reaching impressive heights of up to 66 metres. Slender and upright in form, this conifer is often seen with buttressed roots in swampy lowlands where it naturally thrives. Its foliage is soft and feathery, with small, narrow leaves that give the tree a graceful texture. Juvenile trees often appear bushy and irregular before maturing into tall, straight specimens. The female trees produce fleshy, orange-red arils that attract birds, playing a key role in seed dispersal. Kahikatea is a symbol of endurance and ecological importance, once dominating vast wetland forests and now valued in restoration planting and landscape design.