Family: Araucariaceae
Kauri is a tall, stately tree.
Native to New Zealand, it is the most massive tree in the whole world by volume. This ancient tree developed around the Jurassic period and has made a niche for itself over the millennia. The tree drops acidic leaf litter that decomposes under the tree. As the acidic litter is washed by rainfall through the soil, it releases trapped nutrients that the tree then takes up through its fine root hairs. This process leaves the ground near these trees a grey color rendering other plants in the area nutrient deficient. Often these trees make up small monotypic stands called kauri forests.
Plant Uses:
- Cultural significance
- Shade
- Specimen
Plant Dangers:
- No dangers
High Risk Traits:
- Able to grow in subtropical climates
- Possesses allelopathic properties
- Moderately flammable, and could increase fire risk in fire prone areas
- Tolerates many soil types
- Forms dense stands in native range
- Reproduces by seed
- Seeds dispersed by wind (short distances) and intentionally by people
Low Risk Traits:
- No reports of invasiveness or naturalization to date
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
- Palatable to animals
- Non-toxic
- Shade-intolerant (except for small seedlings)
- Does not hybridize with other Agathis species
- Self-incompatible
- Reaches maturity in 15-50 years
- Not reported to spread vegetatively
- Limited dispersibility of wind-dispersed seeds
- Does not form a persistent seed bank
- Fire-intolerant