Myoporum laetum
Ngaio · also Mousehole tree, New Zealand manatoka, Myoporum
Report an issue with this species
Myoporum laetum is a fast-growing small tree native to New Zealand, characterized by lance-shaped leaves, white flowers with purple spots, and purple berries. It thrives in coastal areas and its fruits are highly palatable to birds, but it is considered invasive in some regions, notably coastal California, due to rapid spread from bird-dispersed seeds. The fruit can be messy and toxic, and the species is susceptible to damage from the Myoporum thrip.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 9220.69%—13 in
- 3850.08%35 yr7.5 in
- 60.00%—6.3 in
- 10.00%—17 in
Traits
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Mature height
- 15–30 ft
- Canopy spread
- 10–20 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Water needs
- Moderate
- Wildlife value
- High
- Tolerates
- coastal, salt
- Blooms
- Jan, Feb, Dec
Trunk diameters across every city: median 9.0 in, mean 12 in, 90th percentile 21 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Temperate Broadleaf & Mixed Forests
- New Zealand North Island temperate forests
- New Zealand South Island temperate forests
Other Myoporum in the catalogue
3 of the top 2,000 species are in this genus.
