About Hoheria populnea A.Cunn.
Hoheria populnea A.Cunn., commonly called houhere, lacebark, or New Zealand mallow, is a flowering plant species in the family Malvaceae that is endemic to New Zealand. This species grows from coastal areas up to lowland forests, with a natural native distribution ranging from the North Cape of the North Island to the Bay of Plenty. It can reach 12 metres in height when growing as a tree, and produces broad, oval leaves with serrated edges. The leaves are dark green, measure 5 to 12 cm in length, and grow up to 6 cm wide. Houhere produces clusters of white flowers between January and March. Māori people historically used the bark of this plant in traditional textiles to make ropes, hats, kete, and headbands. Māori oral histories record early attempts to create felted material from Hoheria populnea, similar to the felt made from aute (the paper mulberry used in Polynesian textiles), but all these attempts were unsuccessful.
