Ngaio
Myoporum laetum
A fast coastal screen and windbreak that shrugs off salt spray and wind, bulking up quickly for chop-and-drop mulch. Toxic to livestock and frost-shy, so keep it away from stock and cold sites.
Ngaio in a syntropic line
Ngaio belongs in the Medium layer as a Secondary biomass species. The productive heart — most of your yield lives here. Rough in-row spacing starts around 1.6 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Avocado, Black mulberry. As a Secondary species it carries mid-term yield and structure while climax trees slowly claim the canopy.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Medium
- Lifecycle
- Secondary
- Soil preference
- Sandy, Loam
- Soil pH range
- 6 – 8
- Min. temperature
- -4°C
- Min. rainfall
- 500 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- High
- Frost tolerance
- Low
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Irrigation needed
- Low
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Low
- Origin
- New Zealand
- Native to Portugal
- No
How to manage it
Fast salt- and wind-tolerant coastal windbreak or screen; clips well, establishes quickly, and coppices readily for mulch.
How to propagate
Sow seed in spring or take softwood cuttings in early summer.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Foliage and sap are toxic to livestock (especially cattle) and can cause skin irritation in people; naturalised and weedy outside its native range in mild coastal climates; frost-tender when young.
Frequently asked questions about Ngaio
Is ngaio frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -4°C when dormant, with low frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does ngaio need?
It does best on sandy, loam ground, at pH about 6–8.
How much water does ngaio need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 500 mm/year, plus low irrigation once established.
Can ngaio handle wet or waterlogged soil?
Poorly — ngaio has low waterlogging tolerance, so keep it off winter-wet clay and standing water.
What should I watch out for with ngaio?
Foliage and sap are toxic to livestock (especially cattle) and can cause skin irritation in people; naturalised and weedy outside its native range in mild coastal climates; frost-tender when young.
Design your line to see how your land fits Ngaio.
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