Halocarpus kirkii (F. Muell. ex Parl.) Quinn

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Credits

Article from New Trees by John Grimshaw & Ross Bayton

Recommended citation
'Halocarpus kirkii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/halocarpus/halocarpus-kirkii/). Accessed 2024-04-19.

Genus

Halocarpus

Common Names

Monoao

Synonyms

Dacrydium kirkii F. Muell. ex Parl.

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

References

There are no active references in this article.

Credits

Article from New Trees by John Grimshaw & Ross Bayton

Recommended citation
'Halocarpus kirkii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/halocarpus/halocarpus-kirkii/). Accessed 2024-04-19.

When young, Halocarpus kirkii has long, narrow leaves and resembles a normal conifer, but once trees reach c. 10 m they become small and scaly. In cultivation, however, this is likely to take many years. Image J. Grimshaw.

Tree to 25 m, 1 m dbh. Bark greyish brown, flaking in rounded plates. Branches spreading to erect; branchlets pendulous. Juvenile leaves 1.5–4 × 0.1–0.3 cm, linear, usually acute, held at right angles to the shoot, soft in texture, persisting until the tree is at least 10 m tall and then co-occurring with adult leaves for some time. Adult leaves 0.2–0.3 cm, scale-like, obtuse, hard in texture, margins hyaline. Male strobili solitary, terminal, sessile, to 1 cm long. Female strobili in terminal clusters of three to five. Seeds 3–8 mm long, with an orange aril. Allan 1961, Salmon 1996. Distribution NEW ZEALAND: Great Barrier Is., northern part of North Is. Habitat Lowland forest to 700 m, usually with Agathis australis. USDA Hardiness Zone 9–10. Conservation status Vulnerable. Illustration Van Gelderen & van Hoey Smith 1996; NT388.

In the wild Halocarpus kirkii is a fine but little-known tree, apparently rather scarce throughout its natural range (Gymnosperm Database 2007a). Other than in New Zealand, its situation in horticulture is rather similar. The only specimen traced in cultivation in the northern hemisphere is at Tregrehan, where in 2005 it had achieved 1.5 m after 10 years, being particularly slow-growing when young (T. Hudson, pers. comm. 2005). It has a pleasant soft appearance (and feel), from the bright grass-green juvenile leaves. The species should be tried in sheltered, moist sites in warm gardens.

Juvenile foliage with needle-like leaves on Halocarpus kirkii at Tregrehan, Cornwall, UK. 26th July 2022. Image Tom Christian.

Adult foliage with scale-like leaves on Halocarpus kirkii at Tregrehan, Cornwall, UK. 26th July 2022. Image Tom Christian.

The bright grass-green juvenile growth on Halocarpus kirkii at Tregrehan Garden, UK (24 September 2018). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Foliage of Halocarpus kirkii: adult foliage left and bottom right; juvenile foliage centre and top right. Eastwoodhill Arboretum, New Zealand (13 December 2013). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Adult scale-like leaves on Halocarpus kirkii (Eastwoodhill Arboretum, New Zealand – 13 December 2013). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Linear juvenile leaves with broad bands of stomata on Halocarpus kirkii (Eastwoodhill Arboretum, New Zealand – 13 December 2013). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Halocarpus kirkii at Tregrehan (Cornwall, UK) some fifteen years after the same tree was photographed for New Trees. 26th July 2022. Image Tom Christian.