This is the first time I have seen a nikau palm growing this far south. I knew that this native species grew as far south as the Banks Peninsula. But as I was walking back down the hill after a swim, imagine my surprise to see this one growing at the end of a driveway to an old house, the grounds to which had been subdivided long since and a crop of flats had sprouted so that the driveway was somewhat hidden from the road. I shall have to keep my eye on it to catch it in flower, apparently they can flower at any time of the year. They are very slow growers, and I wouldn't mind betting it was planted when the house was built, I'm guessing about quite a few years ago!
The Department of Conservation have a brochure in which they say "Nïkau palms have always had importance in Mäori life. The leaves were used to thatch houses, to wrap food before cooking, and to weave into hats, mats, baskets, and leggings for travelling through rough undergrowth. The growing spikes can be taken from the tree about every eight months without killing it. The immature flower is edible and can be cooked and eaten like cauliflower. The heart of the developing leaves (called rito) can also be eaten raw, but taking the shoots kills the whole tree."
The spire in the background across the city belongs to First Church, which was designed by architect R.A. Lawson (1833-1902), and was completed in 1872.
