New Zealand mallow

Description

Hoheria populnea, commonly known as New Zealand mallow, lacebark or houhere, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae, endemic to New Zealand. Hoheria populnea is found from the coast to lowland forests, and has a natural distribution from the North Cape of the North Island, to the Bay of Plenty.It can grow into a tree 12 metres tall and has broad, oval leaves, with serrated margins.The leaves are dark green, 5–12 cm long and 6 cm wide. Lacebark produces white flowers in clusters from January to March. The bark of the plant was used in Māori traditional textiles to create ropes, hats, kits and headbands. Oral histories tell of early experiments to create felted material from the plant, similar to aute (the paper mulberry used in Polynesian textiles), however attempts were unsuccessful. Hoheria is a genus of six species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. All are endemic to New Zealand. The genus name is a latinization of the Māori language name, houhere. That name, as well as lacebark and ribbonwood, are often used as common names. The name lacebark comes from the lace-like fibrous inner bark layer. Hoheria are mostly evergreen, with Hoheria glabrata (mountain ribbonwood) a deciduous species. They are large shrubs or small trees growing 6–10 m (20–33 ft) tall, bearing large quantities of fragrant, 5-petalled white flowers in summer or autumn. The flowers are attractive to butterflies. They are borne in axils on jointed peduncles and produce hard, dry seed capsules. The leaves are serrate to dentate and ovate to lanceolate in shape. Juvenile foliage may persist on young plants for several years, and may have a metallic cast. Some species are cultivated in New Zealand and Great Britain as ornamental plants. H. sexstylosa withstands temperatures down to −15 °C (5 °F), and H. glabrata has good frost tolerance. Numerous cultivars have been developed for use in gardens, of which the hybrid 'Glory of Amlwch' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.