Weather by the moon

Kōwhai heralds sunnier days

Our native kōwhai (sophora) in flower is always a welcome site, especially this year as we escape the captivity of extended lockdowns.

Kōwhai means yellow in Māori and the flowers are the happy colour of sunshine, heralding the promise of longer, brighter days. Kōwhai coming into flower traditionally signalled kūmara planting time and the time to harvest kina for Māori.

There are eight varieties of sophora, but the one that grows naturally in the Waitākere Ranges is sophora fulvida, an at risk species and not that common. Sophora is actually part of the pea family (fabaceae) which also includes gorse, broom and kakabeak.

Due to its colour and pretty leaves, kōwhai is unofficially considered our national flower/tree, alongside the pōhutukawa, and has been used as an icon for brands and items such as stamps and coins since our country’s earliest days.

Kōwhai attract kererū, which delight in the tender new leaves, as well as the buttery flowers – to my annoyance as their greed can rob us of the enjoyment of the kōwhai in bloom. Tūī also love kōwhai but for its nectar and dozens of tūī will compete for their nectar fix in season. In addition to the damage caused by kererū, kōwhai are often attacked by caterpillars of the native kowhai moth (left). The caterpillars can strip off every leaf then either pupate and turn into moths and fly away, or die of starvation. For control of the kōwhai caterpillar, you can: • Lay a sheet under the tree, and pick them off or shake your tree and the caterpillars will fall off onto the sheet. • Spray with a homemade chilli spray • Spray with natural neem oil, although this is toxic to bees so only spray after dusk.

For humans, kōwhai is both poisonous and medicinal. It has traditional healing properties for treating skin problems, wounds, diseases and even broken bones. No part of the plant can be consumed, however, as it contains a toxin known as cytisine, something that kererū clearly aren’t affected by. With its toxicity common knowledge today, you rarely find kōwhai planted in school grounds, though they are widely evident in parks and gardens.

Kōwhai wood, one of New Zealand’s strongest hardwoods was an important, tough, dense and durable timber resource for both Māori weather by the moon

Ken Ring’s predictions for October

October may be much wetter than average, cloudier and with lower temperatures than normal.

The first week is the sunniest and the warmest, the second week may be the wettest with lowest atmospheric pressures, the fourth week should have the lowest overnight temperatures, and the last week may have the highest pressures.

The barometer should average about 1015mbs. Most rain may be around the 22nd. The 30th/31st could be the best weekend for outdoor activities.

For fishermen, the highest tides are around the 8th. The best fishing bite-times in the West are around noon on the 4th-6th, and 18th-21st. Chances are also good for around dusk of the 11th-13th and 26th-28th.

For gardeners, planting is best between the 7th and 12th (waxing moon ascending), and pruning is best between the 22nd and 26th (waning moon descending). For preserving and longer shelf-life, pick crops or flowers on neap tide days of the 14th and 30th. Always allow 24 hour error for all forecasting. For future weather for any date, visit www.predictweather.com. © Ken Ring 2021. and European, and was used for tools, machinery, house piles, cabinets, sleepers, fencing and ship building. The flexible branches were also used by Māori for bird snares and roots were used for fish hooks. The flowers, seed pods, twigs and bark were all used to create yellow dyes.

Kōwhai is present in Māori tradition and song. Te ura o te kōwhai (the glow of the kōwhai) is a Sophora fulvida in full bloom. common expression and the mystical Kōwhai-turanga ora” or Tree of Life, in the legends of the Waikato people, refers to the authority and powers held by people to whom they look to for help and life.

Because its bright yellow flowers drew the attention of the first visitors to New Zealand, seed was taken to many places in the world. The Kew Royal Botanic Gardens botanist Joseph Banks (on Captain Cook’s 1768-1771 voyage) took kōwhai seed back to Kew where it was grown from about 1772. Flowering trees were recorded in London in 1779 and in Ireland in 1800.

To grow kōwhai in your own garden, choose the Waitākere species, sophora fulvida. This will help an at risk species and is likely to give you the best results. It is available from Gordons Nurseries on Scenic Drive. Kōwhai prefers fertile, well-draining soils and positioning in full sun or partial shade. It is hardy and reasonably drought-tolerant but requires some wind protection when young.