P OI P OI A T E K Ā K A NO
Poipoia te kākano, kia puawai Nurture the seed and it will blossom
‘We’ve been collecting seeds
has many surprising uses, from
and cuttings from four different
drinking it as a tea to treating
native plant species: kānuka,
burns. One of the most important
mānuka, Marlborough rock
roles kānuka plays is as a nursery
daisy and hebe hulkeana, also
crop, providing shade and shelter
known as New Zealand lilac,
for native seedlings, particularly
which are common in the Wairau
on exposed, dry hillsides.
region’s Flaxbourne ecological
the source of the highly prized
hulkeana, in particular, are quite
mānuka honey. Famous for its
specific and unique to the South
natural medicinal properties,
Marlborough region.
mānuka products have high star-shaped flowers are displayed
at a local nursery and then
for many months from spring,
replanting them back in the
blanketing the hillsides like
vineyard aligns with the Wakatū
summer snow. a hardy, compact shrub that
land, being guardians of the land,
thrives in Marlborough’s hot,
water, airspace, the native plant
dry summers. Growing on
species, and people.
the rocky terraces above the like flowers, with white petals
depending on the species and
and yellow centre, which only
whether they use cuttings or
bloom in winter. While common
seeds. Once the seedlings are
throughout Marlborough, outside
ready, Mondo explains that they’ll
of domestic gardens, this pretty
bring them back into the vineyard
shrub isn’t found anywhere else
and replant them in specific
in the world. New Zealand lilac (heliohebe
which they are aiming to only
hulkeana) is part of the hebe
have native plant species in it.
group of plants known to have
Kānuka is a hardy and useful
to Mondo Kōpua, assistant vineyard manager.
Awatere River, it has daisy-
months to grow the plants,
locations, including an area
is underway. Koekoeā talks
Marlborough rock daisy is
sense, it’s about protecting the
It takes between 9 and 24
Marlborough, a special project
antibacterial potency. The white
from these plants, growing them
value of kaitiakitanga. In a broad
in the Awatere Valley,
Mānuka is an iconic tree and
district. The rock daisy and hebe
Collecting seeds and cuttings
On Whenua Awa, our vineyard
Mondo Kōpua (above) and mānuka capsules.
abundance of them growing on the Awatere River bluffs below the vineyard.
medicinal properties. It has
Follow the progress of the seedlings
tree. It’s a special plant that
dainty, pale mauve flowers, and
by signing up for regular updates via
is only found in Aotearoa and
is rare in the wild. There is an
www.kono.co.nz/seedling
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