Tag: New zealand native plants

In traditional Māori medicine, or rongoā māori, the entire kawakawa plant is valued for its healing properties. While its heart-shaped leaves are more widely studied, the berries from the female kawakawa plant also offer unique benefits, prized for their diuretic effects and distinctive flavor. This guide delves into the specific benefits of kawakawa berries, as informed by traditional wisdom and recent interest.

Chewing a fresh horopito leaf can produce an intense, pungent, and peppery sensation. Yes, you can eat horopito leaves, but their strong, fiery flavor is best used in moderation as a unique spice or herb, not as a leafy vegetable. This New Zealand native plant, also known as the pepper tree, has a long history of both medicinal and culinary uses.

Captain Cook and his crew notably brewed a tea from the leaves of the mānuka bush, leading to one of its most common alternative names. So, what is another name for manuka? The most common synonym is "tea tree," but it's important to differentiate it from the Australian plant also known by that name.