3 New Zealand Native Plants And How To Use Them

We have grown up in the ever-changing Kiwi landscapes that we call home, and we are also very lucky to have a wealth of plants that we can use to help support our family and our personal health and wellness.

New Zealand native plants have become more utilised recently, and we can see why, as they are full of amazing plant chemicals that can help the environment as well as us.

Rongoa (Māori medicine)

We would also like to acknowledge our original scientists and plant advocates – the Māori who, on arrival to Aotearoa, discovered and worked with the native plants that resided here. They are the ones we look to and thank for finding, documenting and using the amazing indigenous plants we have today.

Traditionally, a lot of our New Zealand native plants were used topically. There is documentation to show traditional internal use, but this was always in small doses.

With the arrival of the Europeans, Māori used Rongoa (Māori medicine) to treat ill health from infectious disease and the physical effects of colonisation. These events saw an increase in internal decoctions and infusions, which were the starting base of what we use and know today.

1. Akeake

Botanical name: Dodonaea viscosa

Parts used: Leaves, seeds, root

Used topically for: Toothaches and headaches (helps to rub on temples). Also rubbed on joints, cuts, bites, and skin rashes.

Used internally for: Pain, help with fevers, inflammation, gut cramps or spasms.

Akeake is a fast-growing shrub that flowers in late autumn and will often self-seed. In Dunedin, you can find it as part of shelter belts. We use this amazing New Zealand native plant in our Chest Tonic.

If you find some akeake, you could pick a small jar of leaves to dry and use as tea or make into a tincture. You can use between 1.5 to 3 grams of dried akeake a day.

It could also be infused in olive oil and made into a balm to be rubbed on sore joints.

Horopito

Botanical name: Pseudowintera colorata; P. axillaris

Common names: Peppertree

Parts used: Fruit and leaves

Used topically:

• For painful bruises, joint inflammation (as it helps to bring the blood flow to the skin's surface)
• For wounds, cuts, and burns when used as a poultice
• Fungal infections such as Candida albicans, ringworm
• Toothache
• Insect repellent

Used internally for:

• Diarrhoea
• Stomachaches and cramps
• Circulation booster, great for chilblains
• Respiratory conditions (stimulating expectorant – helps you cough ‘things’ up).

Horopito is an evergreen tree that thrives in colder regions. It is often found on the edges of forests. It is often left untouched as the taste is not to many insects or birds' liking.

🌿 Related: WinterForaging - 10 Plants To Forage This Season

If you find horopito, you can dry the leaves, crush them and then add them to a digestive tea mix (with fennel seeds/peppermint leaves) to help with overindulgence. You can also use dry leaves in your cooking. Add them to roasted meat/vegetables for a kick. Or you can grind them up and add them to your favourite salt. You can use between 0.5 to 1.5 grams a day of dried horopito.

Our Anti-Flam Tonic is a great soother for upset stomachs. The combination of turmeric and horopito helps to settle and support inflammation within the digestive tract.⁣

Horopito is hot, which helps to move circulation around the body. If you have peptic or stomach ulcers, horopito is probably too hot for you.

🌿 Related: You can read more about horopito here

Mānuka 

Botanical name: Leptospermum scoparium

Common name: Tea tree

Parts used: Leaves, flowers, twigs and bark

Used topically for:

• Wounds, cuts, sores
• Bacterial and fungal infections (athlete's foot and candida)
• Skin upsets
• Mouthwash

Used internally for:

• Nervous diarrhoea and diarrhoea in general, as it is astringent (high in tannins like black tea)
• Indigestion
• Fevers
• Ills and chills
• Anxiety helps support the nervous system due to its bitter taste

Mānuka is well known for the medicinal boost it gives honey, but the plant itself is amazing on its own. It is a perennial shrub that can grow quite tall and thick. Mānuka has large numbers of very small, pointed leaves, up to 12 mm long and about 4 mm wide.

As with akeake and horopito, you can dry the leaves or flowers and add a small amount to a tea to support digestion and your nervous system.

Ideally, you would be using 1.5 grams of dried herb twice daily. An important thing to remember is to take it well before a meal, as it can stop you absorbing some minerals from your food.

Mānuka is an important component in our Immunity Tonic, Liver Bitters and our Elderberry Switchel.⁣

🌿 Related: The 3 Ingredients In Liver Bitters That Will Help You Feel Amazing