Practical Tips On The Suitability And Selection Of Native Trees For Every Situation
Mystery and a lack of confidence abound when it comes to our own trees, and often the imported “exotic” species seem to be the first option.
People are often wary of native species for four main reasons:
- “Natives are difficult, temperamental, slow…”
- “Exotic species have more to offer aesthetically”
- “We can’t get consistent supply of large native trees”
- “We don’t know enough about them”
However, New Zealand was originally 99% clad in our magnificent natives. There are native trees for all conditions. If we start from this premise, we will soon find that there are many options for planting with a stunning range of attributes.
There are…
- Our great forest trees
- Tough hardy natives that we can plant anywhere
- Coastal species — used to wind, salt, and dry spells
- Wetland species — that love their feet awash
Click through our ‘Specific Purposes’ menu for pages of tips and ideas for trees suited to particular planting situations.
