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06/04/2026
What’s fruiting and flowering in April?
Climate change is shifting when plants flower and fruit by altering temperature, rainfall, and seasonal patterns. When these timings fall out of sync with pollinators and fruit-eating animals, it can disrupt ecosystems and create ripple effects.
For example, migratory birds may miss key fruiting periods they rely on for energy, while the plants they pollinate may also be affected. These kinds of changes are already being observed globally, with some species flowering earlier than they used to.
Tracking plant phenology (the timing of flowering and fruiting) helps us understand these changes. You can contribute to the NZ Plant Phenology project on iNaturalist NZ by uploading photos of plants in your garden or local reserve and recording their stage.
This April, look out for native podocarps like miro and tōtara, along with fruits from taraire, coprosma, and tūrutu.
Flowering: raupeka/Easter orchid (Earina autumnalis), pūriri (Vitex lucens), nīkau (Rhopalostylis sapida), kohekohe (Didymocheton spectabilis)
Fruiting: miro (Pectinopitys ferruginea), tōtara (Podocarpus totara), kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), taraire (Beilschmiedia tarairi), karamū (Coprosma spp.), karo (Pittosporum crassifolium), tūrutu (Dianella nigra)
Miro photo credit: Jeremy R. Rolfe, 2006 (CC BY)
