''Pittosporum crassifolium'', commonly called karo, is a small tree or shrub native to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. Karo's original distribution was generally the top half of the
North Island
The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...
, although now it has naturalised throughout New Zealand and overseas in
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together with ...
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
and the
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly (; kw, Syllan, ', or ) is an archipelago off the southwestern tip of Cornwall, England. One of the islands, St Agnes, is the most southerly point in Britain, being over further south than the most southerly point of the ...
. ''P. crassifolium'' occurs in lowland and coastal forests. Mature trees grow to about in height. Other common names include stiffleaf cheesewood, and in
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...
, ' and '.
Karo has dense dark gray-green leathery leaves that are furry underneath. An
early coloniser, ''P. crassifolium'' is able to withstand high winds and salt spray. Clusters of small red-purple flowers appear in spring, developing into seed pods that split to expose the sticky seeds.
''Pittosporum crassifolium'' is considered to be "weeds in cultivation" in California, where they are being kept under observation to ensure they do not escape into the wild.
In New Zealand birds easily spread karo seed and in areas south of its natural range it has become a pest plant.
References
External links
Jepson Manual TreatmentPhoto gallery
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15589244
crassifolium
Trees of New Zealand