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Story: Poisonous plants and fungi

Foliage and flowers of tree tutu

Foliage and flowers of tree tutu

New Zealand’s best-known poisonous plants are known as tutu (Coriaria species). They have glossy leaves and dangling displays of small flowers and fruit. With the exception of their purple petals, all parts of tutu are poisonous. Two of the eight species are common, and grow along the sides of streams and on road cuttings.

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How to cite this page

Maggy Wassilieff, Poisonous plants and fungi – Poisonous native plants, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/9772/foliage-and-flowers-of-tree-tutu (accessed 5 June 2026).

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 1 March 2009.

Comments

Dianna Dawson
19 June 2023
Are Puka leaves toxic to livestock? Can I throw the prunings of puka over the fence for the cows? They seem to like them whenever a tree gets within their reach.