Description
“A Nikau palm usually grows to about 10-15m tall. It is easy to recognize in the bush with its circular trunk, which is ringed with evenly spaced scars from fallen fronds. The fronts are up to 3m in length.
Where is it found? The Nikau palm is unique to NZ and it primarily occurs in coastal to lowland forest in warmer regions. It is found in the North Island and northern South Island from Marlborough Sounds and Nelson south to near Okarito in the west and Banks Peninsula (near Christchurch) in the east.
Nikau palms also grow on the Chatham Islands, and some botanists believe the plants there belong to a separate species.
Two of the easiest places to see Nikau palms are Punakaiki in Paparoa National Park and Kohaihai at the start of the Heaphy track, where a mild climate encourages their growth year around.”
Department of Conservation
