Puriri

Puriri (Vitex lucens)

Can grow up to 20 m tall, with a trunk commonly up to 1.5 m in diameter, frequently thicker, and a broad spreading crown. As seedlings they look similar to KoheKohe, but develop deeper creased pockets around the veins in the more mature trees. The timber was widely used in colonial times and was particularly useful as durable fence-posts split from log lengths, many of which are still standing but now too hard to nail a fence staple into. It produces wine-red flowers in Spring through Summer followed by brilliant red berries that look like cherries and attract birdlife.