TI KAUKA, WHANAKE - Cabbage tree

Cordyline australis

This tree is found everywhere in New Zealand except in virgin forests. It is a unique and easily recognised feature of the landscape, growing in swamps, edges of forests, in groves on the plains; even in coastal areas. It is from fifteen to forty feet in height. The trunk is from two to four feet thick and very wrinkled and rough. Young trees have a single head, but mature trees have several short stems which end in a bush of large, grass—like leaves, the whole making a rounded crown. Though endemic, this tree is grown overseas. A short length of trunk is taken, and planted laterally in the ground and shoots grow from this.

It blooms sometimes. The flowers appear in a bunch of white blossoms among the upper stems. When it does flower well the Maoris say that it is a sign of a good summer.

The inner blanched leaves and hearts were eaten by Maoris, bushmen and settlers, and Captain Cook had them boiled for his sailors. The bases of the leaves were also eaten raw.

For dysentery and diarrhoea they drank an infusion of the leaves (Goldie).

The leaves were rubbed to soften them; then applied as an ointment to cuts, sores and cracks in the skin. Nursing mothers ate the boiled inner shoot and top of the stem. This mixture was also given to children for colic. Boiling the inner shoot and leaves takes an hour. The plaited leaves were sometimes used for rough shelters.

This tree was a favourite among us as children for quite another reason. Half of us sat on the tufted ends of the grassy branches while the other half held the stems and towed us downhill, preferably through a grove of pines. There was nothing else as exhilarating as this speedy, rushing slide downhill, sitting safely on a fat cushion of leaves.