Meet the myrtles: maire tawake

Have you heard of maire tawake? Maybe you've heard another of its many names; swamp maire, maire tawhake, tuhituhi and waiwaka to name a few. If you've been following PFK's social media or newsletter you may of heard about our seedling trial. Found throughout the North Island and the top of the South, maire tawake (Syzygium maire) is our lesser-known native swamp tree.

Cecil Eady, home of maire tawake trees protected by PFK volunteers.

Maire tawake are an evergreen tree that can be found on the edges of streams and riverbanks, in wetlands, and in forests with high rainfall and poor drainage. Maire tawake produce pneumatophores (specialised roots) that stick up out of the water, allowing them to “breathe.” These are similar to those that you can see on mangroves along the coast.

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  (c) mattward (CC BY-NC). Source: iNaturalist

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  (c) Tom Beard (CC BY). Source: iNaturalist

Pheumatophores (breathing roots) of maire tawake (left) and mangroves (manawa, Avicennia marina ssp. australasica.

When thinking of wetland trees, most people think of Kahikatea. Kahikatea is often found growing alongside maire tawake. Pukatea, tī kōuka and porokaiwhiri (pigeonwood) are also common neighbours. Other than plants, maire tawake also live with tuna, īnanga, and the brightly coloured swamp maire moth (Macrostolla miniella). These species help make up the whare-repo (swamp home). Learn more about the whare-repo and its cultural importance in the seventh chapter of Te Reo o te Repo – Kei Konei Tonu Au.

Maire tawake in Kaipātiki:

Pink and yellow swamp maire moth on the underside of a maire tawake leaf in Cecil Eady.

Maire tawake were likely found throughout Kaipātiki in the past. Wairau means ‘enclosed waters,' and was a large swamp so it is easy to imagine maire tawake living there. Remnant (surviving) patches of maire tawake can be found in:

• Soldiers Bay

• Adah Reserve

• Hadfield Street Reserve

• Eskdale Reserve

And, the reserves below are home to planted maire tawake:

• Cecil Eady

• Little Shoal Bay

• Tuff Crater

Thanks to the restoration work of volunteers, these younger trees are still able to play an important role in their whare-repo. 

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Above: Two specimens from maire tawake in Kaipātiki. The left collected in 1979 and the right in 1978. Source: CHR Collection - Local Contexts. These samples are subject to Biocultural Labels. Below are the mana whenua of each area:

Northcote:

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki

Ngāti Maru (Hauraki)

Ngāti Paoa

Ngāti Tamaoho

Ngāti Tamaterā

Ngāti Whanaunga

Ngāti Whātua

Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei

Te Ākitai Waiohua

Te Kawerau a Maki

Te Patukirikiri

Hellyer's Creek:

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki

Ngāti Maru (Hauraki)

Ngāti Paoa

Ngāti Tamaoho

Ngāti Tamaterā

Ngāti Whanaunga

Ngāti Whātua

Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei

Te Ākitai Waiohua

Te Kawerau a Maki

A forgotten friend:

Maire tawake berries at different stages of ripeness.

In the past, Māori had many uses for maire tawake. The bark and twigs of maire tawake was used to create a blue-black pigment and used to dye harakeke. Rongoā (medicine) from the inner-bark was used to treat ringworm, and the strong wood used for construction and weapons. The tree was also used as a source of perfume. Tastiest of all uses, the bright red berries are an incredibly antioxidant rich food. 

Unfortunately, the loss of wetlands for farming and development also contributed to the loss of Mātauranga Māori associated with the tree. Researchers such as Dr Hanareia Ehau-Taumaunu (Ngāti Uepōhatu, Ngāti Porou, Te Ātiawa and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) are working to restore, remember, and generate new mātauranga on maire tawake with local iwi. Dr Ehau-Taumaunu is researching the microbiome communities that live on maire tawake leaves, and how mātauranga may inform ways to look after the tree. 

Further research:

Across the motu, the populations of maire tawake are very fragmented. With the arrival

of myrtle rust in 2017, maire tawake was classed as ‘critically endangered’ in the IUCN Red List. Maire tawake are one of our most susceptible native species to myrtle rust and repeated infections have resulted in many of the populations becoming ‘living dead,’ where trees are still alive but un-able to reproduce.

In 2024, the maire tawake genome was fully sequenced and given the name ‘Ngā Hua o te Ia Whenua’ by Rangitāne o Manawatū, mana whenua of the Manawatū region and maire tawake tree from which the genome was sequenced from. This is one of many steps towards building knowledge on maire tawake and looking after the rākau into the future. Other research has looked into the genetics of maire tawake across regions, and the potential refugia (safe places) where maire tawake may be sheltered from myrtle rust infection.

Maire tawake seedlings at Puāwai, PFK headquarters, repotted and ready to enter the seedling trial.

PFK have also been working to protect our local maire tawake. Since 2023 the maire tawake trees in Cecil Eady have been protected from myrtle rust through seasonal fungicide spraying, funded by Auckland Council. Because of the protection, some of the trees were able to produce fruit. These fruit and others from across Auckland were germinated and are now in a trial to test for resistance against myrtle rust. If any resistance is found, the seedlings could hold the answer to rebuilding the maire tawake population in Tāmaki Makaurau. See our seedling trial page for how you can support the trial and keep up to date with its progress.

The mahi to protect maire tawake is still on-going. Other ways that you can help are:

• Looking after your local wetlands and waterways (e.g. restoration planting, pest plant control)

• Reducing the myrtle rust spore load in summer

• Continuing to learn about maire tawake and myrtles.

• Voting for maire tawake to be plant of the year (see below).

Let's all work together to protect maire tawake and the whare-repo they live in. See you the our next installment of the Meet the myrtles series.

Favourite Plant of the Year

If maire tawake has now become your favourite native plant, you can vote for it in the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network’s competition, which is focusing on wetland species this year.

Vote for maire tawake!