Nikau Palms – our living link to the past
REMNANT Nikau Palms (Rhopalostylis sapida) are recognised as significant trees in Hutt City and are therefore protected under the District Plan.
The Nikau is unique to New Zealand and is the southernmost growing palm in the world. It is long lived, and takes 20 years to develop a trunk.
Nikau in Hutt City are scarce and irreplaceable remnants of the indigenous valley floor vegetation. By protecting them from activities and site development that might harm them or their value to the community, we are conserving the city’s biodiversity and local landscape features.
The City of Lower Hutt District Plan protects all remnant Nikau Palms in the city. Resource consent is required before any such tree can be removed or if works are to be undertaken near a Nikau that could affect the health, stability or life expectancy of the tree. A Plan Change is required to remove a remnant Nikau.
Nikau Palms are easy to live with.
- The shade is dappled.
- The clean-stemmed trunk and canopy make a small ”footprint” on residential sites.
- There is very little leaf litter. Hutt City Council’s Horticulture Assets Manager happily helps to have fallen fronds removed if property owners have difficulty disposing of them.
The Nikau has a distinctive “feather duster” or “shaving brush” shape with leaf bases big enough for a child to sit in, which makes it quite different from other palms. It has a smooth, slender trunk and is slow growing.
The commonly planted Phoenix or Canary Island Palm has a thick trunk with a sharp spike at the base of the leaves, while the Fan Palms in High Street are not native to New Zealand.
Infill housing developers have removed many large trees in our region, especially species with a spreading habit, leaving narrow spaces for any plantings. Quite often these new homes are multi-storeyed and require tall specimen trees to bring the buildings in scale with the site. Nikau are the ideal native species in these sites, as they have columnar growth. They also have an architectural character which is most suitable with contemporary buildings.
You must contact Hutt City Council before considering any pruning. Nikau fronds can be removed to crown-lift the canopy, allowing clearance of the roof. Removal of a maximum of 10 per cent of foliage might be acceptable. All work must be done by qualified arborists.
If you are unsure of the identity of a palm on your property, please contact Hutt City Council.
For more information, phone (04) 570-6666, or email contact@huttcity.govt.nz