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Myoporum laetum Ngaio / Mousehole Tree is one of New Zealand's toughest, most generous, and most ecologically valuable coastal natives. A fast-growing evergreen shrub or small tree, Ngaio bears thick, glossy yellow-green to dark green heavily spotted leaves and clusters of white flowers with purplish spots in spring and summer, followed by small purple oval berries loved by birds. Ngaio is drought and coastal hardy and can effectively control sound, wind, sun, and blowing sand, making it an excellent choice for a screen or canopy shade tree. It forms a rounded crown with spreading branches, often developing a wonderfully gnarled and windswept character in exposed coastal positions and responds beautifully to heavy trimming, making it as suitable for formal hedging as it is for naturalistic planting.

Myoporum laetum - ngaio

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  • Botanical Name Myoporum laetum
    Māori Name Ngaio
    Common Name Mousehole Tree
    Family Scrophulariaceae
    Type Evergreen shrub / small tree
    Origin Endemic to New Zealand 
    Mature Height Typically 6–10 m; can reach up to 10 m with a spread of up to 4 m 
    Mature Spread Up to 4 m
    Sun Requirements Full sun to partial shade 
    Soil Adaptable to various soil types including sandy and loamy soils; prefers well-drained conditions 
    Flowering October to January — small white flowers with purple spots 
    Fruiting Small purple-black berries following flowering — attracts kererū
    Wind Tolerance Excellent — highly suited to exposed coastal sites
    Salt Spray Tolerance Good — tolerates coastal salt spray 
    Frost Tolerance Frost-tender when young; tolerates quite severe frosts once established 
    Drought Tolerance Good once established — requires minimal watering 
    Maintenance Low — tolerates heavy trimming
    Livestock Warning ⚠️ Toxic to horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs
    Conservation Status Not Threatened (nationally); At Risk — Regionally Declining in some urban areas

    Planting Tips: Prefers part shade and protection from frosts when young. Plant in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Regular pruning helps maintain its shape and encourages dense growth. Mulch around the base to retain soil moisture, especially during the first summer after planting.

    Ideal Uses: Dense hedging and screening, coastal shelter belts, revegetation and restoration planting, wildlife gardens, and as a specimen tree in larger garden settings. Ngaio has been used extensively as a nurse plant for coastal revegetation and for shelter in recreational areas. 

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