Pūriri belong to the mint family Lamiaceae. There are not many trees in Lamiaceae but it does include mahogany which many people are familiar with for its strong and beautiful timber. Infact pūriri timber is equally strong and beautiful. 

There is some confusion in its reputation as many pūriri that remain standing are gnarled and twisted. These trees actually escaped the axeman by virtue of their density as they are so difficult to cut down it did not seem worth the effort. The majority of straight trunked trees were indeed cut and processed and some of the stumps still live!
When visiting Aotea last year two trust members showed me the pūriri present since they acquired the land and explained how by just leaving them a forest was growing around them. Spiders use the holes left by pepe tuna, pūriri moth (Aenetus virescens) when they are vacated.
The rotting fruit on the ground attracts midges and insects for the spiders. The birds come to eat the insects and the fruit, dispersing other seeds when they visit. Lianas and other perching plants also enjoy the safety of their boughs. Kererū the native wood pigeon are even known to get drunk off the fruit!
So although they are a canopy tree and not a dominant species like native conifers such as kauri or rimu they are an important and vital part of northern forest ecology.

May be produced without pepe tuna moth on request. Email info@erinforsyth.com

Artist prints are created on demand so there is no wasted stock. Using archival inks and Hahnmuhle cotton paper environmentally certified through ISO 14001 for environmental management and EcoVadis and socially responsible practice.

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Dimensions available:

A3 - 420 × 297mm

A4 - 210 x 297mm