Large-leaved Kōwhai/New Zealand Sophora (Sophora tetraptera) - Seeds

A breathtaking highlight for any winter garden and a true rarity for plant lovers: The Sophora tetraptera, also known as the New Zealand Kowhai tree or by its Māori name Kōwhai, is one of New Zealand's most fascinating plants. With its very fine, almost fern-like pinnate foliage and large, bright golden-yellow flowers that resemble small beaks, it attracts all eyes in spring. It usually grows as an elegant, loose ornamental shrub or small tree, exuding an exotic flair of the highest class.

Scope of delivery: 10/50 seeds each

What makes this exotic plant so spectacular is its incomparable flowering period in late winter or early spring. Often even before the new foliage has fully unfolded, the plant is covered all over with deep yellow butterfly-like flowers. In its homeland New Zealand, it is considered the unofficial national flower and is an absolute magnet for nectar-feeding birds. Here, the flowers primarily attract the first bees and bumblebees of the year.

For the New Zealand Kowhai tree to develop optimally, it needs a bright, very sunny and sheltered spot. The substrate should be well-draining and high-quality, with a mixture of some sand or perlite ensuring good drainage. During the growing phase in summer, the plant appreciates regular watering, but waterlogging must be strictly avoided.

Growth form and expected size The Kōwhai naturally grows as an elegant, often multi-stemmed ornamental shrub or small tree with a loose, slightly overhanging crown. Particularly striking are the fine branches that give it a delicate silhouette. In its New Zealand homeland, it reaches impressive dimensions, but remains significantly smaller in cultivation. Since this species is almost exclusively cultivated in pots in our latitudes, it grows very controllably and compactly. In a pot, the final growth height usually settles between 1.5 and 2.5 meters. With occasional, light shaping pruning after flowering, the shrub can also be kept wonderfully bushy and perfectly adapted to the space conditions on the balcony, terrace, or in the winter garden.

Unlike its Asian relatives (such as Sophora davidii), Sophora tetraptera is not reliably winter hardy in Central Europe. While it can tolerate very light frosts down to about -5 degrees Celsius for short periods, it should ideally be cultivated permanently in a pot here. Before the first heavy frosts in autumn, it must be moved to a bright, cool, and frost-free winter quarter (ideally around 2 to 10 degrees Celsius). A cold winter garden or an unheated, bright stairwell are perfect. During winter dormancy, watering is greatly reduced, and fertilizer is completely omitted.