Hīnau
Elaeocarpus dentatus
Olive-like berries whose flesh Māori pounded and baked into a prized dark bread.
Hardiness: zones 8 to 10
Light: part shade
Size: about 60 ft tall, 30 ft wide
Harvest: September to November
From: Aotearoa New Zealand
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, wildlife, pollinators.
Native to: Aotearoa New Zealand. Hardy in zones 8 to 10.
The story
Hīnau berries have a mealy flesh that Māori soaked, pounded, sieved and steamed into a dark, oily cake. It was so highly regarded that a saying asks to be woken only for hīnau bread.
Planting
Sun or part shade and moist, sheltered, fertile soil in a mild climate.
Growing
Mulch and water young trees. It is slow and steady.
Harvest and use
Lily-of-the-valley flowers in spring for bees, and purple berries in autumn and winter for kererū and kākā. The bark gave a black dye for weaving.
What to watch for
Frost when young. The raw berries are astringent; the traditional preparation is long.
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home