The open plant encyclopedia
Snap a photo or search by any name to see how to care for it, where it comes from, whether it's safe, and a 3D model you can turn.
The plants people record most in your country, and ones that grow there wild.
Filter by what you want to do, shape, origin, country, care and safety.
Sophora microphylla
Also called Small Leaved Kōwhai, Weeping Kōwhai, Small Leaved Kowhai
Kōwhai is a small to medium New Zealand tree (up to about 25 m) known for its drooping yellow spring flowers and weeping branches. It grows best in a sunny, open spot with free-draining soil.
Sophora microphylla, commonly known as kōwhai, weeping kōwhai, and small-leaved kōwhai, is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae. It reaches 25 metres (80 feet) in height, with a trunk up to 90 cm (35 in) in diameter. It is endemic to New Zealand; its range mainly covers the South Island, but is also present in the North Island. S. microphylla is found in various habitats. The species is known for its vibrant, yellow, drooping flowers and weeping branches.
Sophora microphylla was first described by the Scottish botanist William Aiton in 1789. S. microphylla is pollinated by birds; the tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) are especially attracted to the flowers, and will travel long distances in search of them. The seeds are dispersed by gravity, wind, or by water. All parts of the plant, especially the seeds, are poisonous.
Sophora microphylla's seeds are dispersed by gravity, wind, or by water. The seed pods of the Sophora genus can travel long distances in water through transoceanic dispersal. S. microphylla is pollinated by birds; the tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) are especially attracted to the flowers and are the primary pollinator of the species. They will also travel long distances in search of it and defend the tree from other birds. Other birds, such as the New Zealand bellbird (Anthornis melanura), kākā (Nestor meridionalis), and silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) also visit the flowers, either for nectar or pollen, as the flowers produce large amounts of nectar.
The vibrant, yellow, flowers of the New Zealand kōwhai (Sophora sp.) are well-known and are unofficially recognised as the national flowers of New Zealand, having been a common subject of artwork and a national symbol for the country. Despite their potential toxicity, the plants have been used by indigenous Māori people and European settlers for timber, medicine, cultivation, and in other practices. Māori used the durable, hardy timber for a wide range of purposes, including using it in the making of canoe paddles, farming tools, and weapons. Its strength made it suitable for digging sticks and weapons, while its flexibility made it useful for bird snares and eel spears. The timber was also used in building houses and for fencing.
Sophora alopecuroides · Shrubby sophora · Yellow necklacepod · Necklacepod
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Sophora microphylla by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
