Lancewood is a unique native New Zealand tree that can be easily identified. Here are 7 facts about this common tree, including its two growth stages.
I feel like I’ve been a bit remiss in not talking about Lancewood before. Lancewood is one of the truly unique trees that you can see in New Zealand. It also happens to be one of the first native trees that our family became adept at identifying when we went for walks in the bush. I love how this tree has two such different looking growth forms for its juvenile stage and adult stage. I also like how the trunk makes an excellent staff.
7 Lancewood Facts
This is a fairly common, small native tree that can be found across the North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island. It grows in lowland and mountain forests and can be found up to around 760 metres in elevation. There are actually three species of lancewood, all called horoeka by Maori.
The most distinguishing feature of this native tree is the fact that the juvenile tree and mature tree look different. This is called heteroblasty. It changes from a straight tree with drooping leaves to a branched tree with shorter, upright pointed leaves.
Scientists aren’t certain why some trees, including lancewood, have different juvenile and adult forms, but they have some theories. One theory is that it developed as a means to protect the juvenile trees from moas (who would eat the leaves). The juvenile leaves are toothed, point down, and are unappetising to eat. Once the tree grew too tall for moas to reach (about 3 metres), it would change into its adult form.
The juvenile lancewood tree has a long-lasting stage, of between 15 – 20 years. The juvenile lancewood, which you’re sure to see when you go for a walk in the bush, has a thin, straight trunk. The leaves are long, narrow, point downwards, are toothed along the edges, and are a dark green colour with a yellow or orange stripe in the middle. It’s not uncommon to come across a number of juveniles growing close together.
I am much more adept at identifying the juvenile lancewood tree than the mature form. This may be partially due to the fact that the juvenile trees are lower to the ground, making them easier to see and identify. As it grows into its adult form branches split out and grow at the top of the trunk. At the same time, the leave grow shorter, broader, and point upwards.
It’s hard to see the leave as they are up high on the tree. The adult form of this tree is a small sized tree (up to 15 m tall). The best way to identify the adult tree is its growth form – a straight trunk, topped by a tuft of leaves off several branches at the top.
Lancewood has been used by people for many different purposes, both by the Maori and then later European settlers. Early Maori used the juvenile trunks to spear wood pigeons (kereru). Later, Europeans used the wood for timber and the central rib of juvenile leaves as bootlaces and to mend bridles and harnesses.
One final use of lancewood is as a walking stick. Maori would tie a knot in the stem of a young plant. Then as the tree grew it would have the straight trunk with a knot at the top that would make a great handle for a walking stick. I’ve even heard that Gandalf in the Lord of The Rings used such a lancewood for his staff.