Kawakawa Berries & Flowers

The male flowers (technically not berries because they are male but flowers), stand upright, quite skinny and small, whilst the female berries also point upwards, but are shorter and fatter...

The Kawakawa tree is related to Pepper, and the whole plant has a unique peppery taste. When my kids were toddlers they didn’t like the taste of black pepper, but they loved fresh green kawakawa berries sliced onto their meals. You can chop the green flowers/berries and sprinkle over your food or add to sauces to create a really interesting flavor. I tried once harvesting my green berries, dehydrating, powdering and storing for use throughout the year, but to be honest the flavor diminished so much that I don’t think it was worth the effort. They taste much better fresh.

Pictured here are unripe female berries which my friend picked whilst we were camping offgrid. We sliced these onto a salad that we made from wild hangehange leaves. It’s always so good to eat fresh & tasty food when you’re camping!

The female berries, when fully ripe are plump & juicy. I’ve heard many foragers tell of making sauces, jams and chutneys with the orange berries, but to be honest I feel that the berries are our native birds food. The birds already have to compete with possums, I don’t think they need humans stripping berries out of the forest too, so I just nibble a berry or two on bushwalks for the unique experience.

Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum) has long held a special place in Māori traditional medicine (Rongoā). The leaves, bark, and berries of this evergreen shrub are used to address a diverse range of health concerns including to treat wounds, skin ailments, and digestive issues.

Kawakawa is abundant in vitamins A, C, and E, as well as essential minerals including zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, niacin, copper, manganese, and potassium.

It's an amazing skin healer. The plant is rich in compounds such as thymol, carvacrol, and limonene, which exhibit potent anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. Kawakawa-based balms have proven effective in alleviating conditions such as eczema, skin rashes, boils, sores, fungal infections, insect bites, burns, and even sunburns. You’ll find my Kawakawa balm on my website.

Kawakawa's natural analgesic properties make it a valuable ally for pain relief. Its used for ailments like rheumatism, arthritis, and neuralgia with its ability to reduce inflammation and soothe discomfort. The presence of myristicin, a compound related to eugenol, imparts mild antiseptic properties, contributing to its efficacy in dental pain relief. Simply chew Kawakawa leaves or stems to feel the numbing sensation on your inflammed gums.

Infusions and teas made from Kawakawa leaves can be taken to address digestive issues, providing relief from stomach ailments and bladder problems. The plant's diuretic properties make its fruits a natural choice for promoting healthy kidney function. My favorite way to use Kawakawa is in a simple herbal tea, which has a unique flavor.

Kawakawa's also acts as a mild insect repellent. When in the bush and the bugs start biting, simply mash up some fresh Kawakawa leaves and rub all over your skin to deter insects.

If you’d like to learn more about NZ Native plants seek out your local Rongoā teacher who will teach the appropriate tikanga involved in preparing effective Rongoā. This is a really important part of the process and not to be underestimated.

Kawakawa grows all over the North Island of NZ in coastal regions (you won’t find it at high altitude), and in some areas in the South Island, it prefers the shade, so you'll usually find it under taller trees.

Kawakawa is covered in my online foraging course which has a sliding scale pricing range.