Karo (Pittosporum crassifolium) is a small coastal tree that is found growing naturally in northern New Zealand. Like pōhutukawa, a fellow coastal tree of the north, it has leathery leaves with woolly undersides. It flowers prolifically in spring to early summer, producing clusters of small, dark red to purple flowers. Karo has been widely used as a hedge plant in coastal locations throughout New Zealand. Birds readily spread its seed and in places south of its natural range, it has become a weed. It also seeds freely and has become naturalised on Norfolk Island and Hawaii.
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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
by Melanie Lovell-Smith
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