Common Name: Heropito

General Information

Pseudowintera axillaris is an erect evergreen shrub or a tree that can grow up to 8 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens, valued especialy for its beautiful, evergreen foliage[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

New Zealand - North and South Islands.

Habitat

Lowland and lower montane forests between latitudes 35 and 42°south[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	7.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Pseudowintera axillaris is not very hardy in Britain, it succeeds outdoors in the milder areas of the country[].
Prefers a cool moist position in a well-drained but moisture-retentive humus-rich soil[, ]. Dislikes alkaline soils[, ]. Succeeds in sun or part shade[].
The plant grows well in light woodland[].
The plant is aromatic and gives a hot, burning sensation when chewed - it tends to be ignored by most herbivores.
Plants tolerate pruning if this is needed[].
This species hybridizes with Pseudowintera colorata wherever the two species meet[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Pseudowintera colorata and Pseudowintera axillaris are closely related and were probably used interchangeably for medicinal purposes by the Maori[].

An infusion of the leaves has been used as a treatment for chest ailments. A tablespoon of the mix is difficult to swallow, leaving a burning sensation in the throat and chest[]. A decoction of the leaves is called 'bushman's painkiller'.
The leaves are chewed in order to relieve a toothache.
The leaves are bruised and steeped in water, the decoction is applied externally to treat skin problems[]. The decoction is also applied to the breasts of a mother weaning her child - the bitter flavour deterring the child from suckling[].

A decoction of the aromatic bark is anodyne, aromatic, astringent, tonic[, , ]. It has been used as a substitute for quinine[].

The plant was occasionally used by settlers suffering from diarrhoea[]. Part not specified.

The sap of the plant is used traditionally in the treatment of stomach ache[].

Excellent astringent and stimulating properties; anti-scorbutic[]. Part not specified[].

A decoction of the leaves has been shown to strongly desensitise humans to sweet and possibly also bitter taste sensations, without affecting sensitivity to salty and sour properties[]..

Other Uses

The red wood is used in inlay work[, ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame[], but it can also be sown in the spring[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Consider giving the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of greenwood in the summer[].
Layering.