Entelea arborescens - Whau

The Entelea arborescens, also known as the bush entelea or the New Zealand cork tree, is a New Zealand species of the mallow family. This bushy plant is still rare in Europe due to its low hardiness, although it is easy to grow and appreciated for its exotic appearance. It bears lush, decorative foliage and offers clusters of white flowers with yellow centres throughout the summer.

The Entelea arborescens belongs to the mallow family, just like hibiscus and abutilons. This species, endemic to New Zealand, is rare there. It is found in subtropical forests, where it mainly grows in moist and sheltered undergrowth. In its natural habitat, the plant is often encountered on riverbanks or sheltered slopes, where the humidity and mild climate suit it perfectly. Also known as Whau by the Maoris, the plant is sometimes referred to by its former scientific name Plagianthus arborescens.

The Entelea arborescens takes the form of a rounded bush, reaching up to 3 m in height and width in cultivation, and double that in its natural habitat. Its growth is very rapid, with the stems of an adult plant able to reach 1 m in a single season. Its foliage, made up of large 20 cm long leaves, resembles that of the indoor lime tree or Dombeya. The leaf surface is slightly rough, with well-defined and prominent veins. The edges are slightly dentate. This dense foliage forms a thick crown that provides natural shade under the plant and helps create an exotic and lush atmosphere. Ornamentally, the Entelea ranks among plants with spectacular foliage, much like the catalpa. The flowering, occurring mainly from June to August, consists of small cup-shaped white flowers with crumpled petals, clustered in terminal inflorescences. These discreet flowers emit a light fragrance. After pollination by pollinating insects, the bush produces small, spherical, bristly, non-stinging, woody capsules containing black seeds.

The Entelea arborescens adds a beautiful exotic touch to the veranda, terrace, or balcony, provided it is given enough space to grow and overwintered in a frost-free environment, for example in a garage. To accompany it, consider passionflowers and Tibouchina, for example.

The Maoris used the Entelea to make baby diapers. Its nickname of cork tree comes from its light wood, which was used to make fishing floats, although it does not possess the same characteristics as traditional cork.