Kawakawa Flowers

It's not often that I find so many, but as I was exploring a 'secret' pathway that a friend in the loop knew about whilst travelling the Coromandel, (which led to the most amazing fairytale wild rocky beach setting), we discovered loads of Kawakawa along the pathway full of fully ripe female flowers.

For years I didn’t understand why the Kawakawa at the end of my garden only produced green berry like flowers, which never ripened to orange. That was until my Rongoā teacher (Donna Kerridge) explained that the male plants produce green flowers , whilst the female plants produce orange flowers (when ripe).

The male flowers stand upright, quite skinny and small, whilst the female flowers also point upwards, but are shorter, fatter & turn orange when fully ripe...

The Kawakawa tree (which is endemic to New Zealand) 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 flowers sliced onto their meals. You can chop the green flowers and sprinkle over your food or add to sauces to create a really interesting flavor. I tried once harvesting the green male flowers, 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.

I’ve heard many foragers tell of making sauces, jams and chutneys with the orange flowers, but to be honest I feel that the berries are our native birds food. In fact many Kereru were in the bush feeding where I discovered these berries. 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 homegrown & organic Kawakawa balm listed under Botanical Skincare.

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.

Beware that Kawakawa acts as a blood thinner so if you're on blood thinning medication you'll need to be wary or Kawakawa. Like with ALL herbal medicine & foraging, if you have medical conditions or are taking pharmaceutical medications, please seek medical advice or do your own thorough research before consuming wild plants for medicinal purposes.

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 is covered in my online foraging course.