A box of seedlings...

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In 1834 botanist John Edgerley gathered a handful of seeds from a Norfolk Island pine tree and boarded a sailing ship bound for the Hokianga Harbour.  
Those seeds became the first 'shipment' of Norfolk Pines to New Zealand.
Two years later, John and Captain McDonnell journeyed to the Bay of Islands - with a box of young Norfolk pines.
Captain McDonnell took the box of seedlings to Gilbert & Elizabeth Mair who owned the flourishing trading post and ship repair yard at Te Wahapu Point.
Elizabeth was a busy mother with five young children (one a new baby) and she planted one of the sapling trees beside her home. 
Her sister-in-law Matilda took one home to Kaitaia and planted it beside her home. James Busby planted two by the Treaty House at Waitangi and many Northland Mission Stations - including Te Waimate, received a tree or two.
The remaining saplings were destroyed by Gilbert & Elizabeth's young daughters.

Elizabeth's living Christmas tree - 2018.

Two years after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, the Mair family sold the business and property and, leaving the six year old tree behind, moved to Whangarei.
In 1846 Te Wahapu point & nearby Tore Tore Island were occupied by British forces and garrisoned until 1857.
Elizabeth's Norfolk pine continued a regular growth pattern until a visiting naval ship required a new spar.
Undaunted and with its center leader now gone, the tree branched into five shoots and continued its reach to the sky.
Original sapling & seedling tree - 2018.

Today.this unique Norfolk pine stands sentinel over the historic settlement. 
It is considered to be the oldest Norfolk Pine on the Russell peninsula. 

For more on notable NZ trees go to https://register.notabletrees.org.nz/

Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 02, 2018 8:02 am

    Great piece of Bay of Island's history - thank you Carol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maritime CarolDecember 04, 2018 11:40 am

      Thank you, it's such a fascinating story Karen.

      Delete

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