Flower news
Shows and festivalsNow's The Time To Grab That Bag Of Winterizer - WJBO Lawn & Garden ShowDiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodShows and festivalsNow's The Time To Grab That Bag Of Winterizer - WJBO Lawn & Garden ShowDiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of food
Phool
Kōwhai

Kōwhai

Sophora, family Fabaceae

New Zealand’s iconic yellow-flowered native tree

Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Kōwhai are small legume trees native to New Zealand, known for their bright yellow flowers that bloom in late winter and spring. They grow beside streams and forest edges, are widely planted in gardens, and are regarded as an unofficial national flower.

Share on WhatsApp

  • All parts are poisonous due to cytisine, especially the seeds
  • Flowers are adapted for pollination by tūī and bellbirds
  • Used by Māori for dye, medicine, tools, and construction
  • Considered one of New Zealand’s unofficial national flowers
  • Hybridisation makes species identification complex

What does Kōwhai look like?

Kōwhai trees grow up to 8 metres tall with smooth bark and small leaves. Their most striking feature is clusters of bright yellow, tubular flowers, 2.5 to 5 cm long. After flowering, they produce segmented seed pods containing hard, mostly yellow seeds, black in Sophora prostrata.

Where does Kōwhai come from?

Kōwhai are native only to New Zealand, where eight species of the genus Sophora occur. The name comes from Māori and also means the colour yellow. Related species exist in Polynesia and Chile, possibly due to ancient dispersal. Māori likely spread some species across the country through deliberate planting.

When and how Kōwhai blooms

Kōwhai flower from July to November in New Zealand, often losing leaves just after blooming before quickly regrowing them. They thrive beside streams and in open lowland or mountain areas. They can be grown from seed, best after soaking or brief boiling, or from cuttings, though young plants are frost-tender.

Kowhai Sophora microphylla in full bloom before the leaves have budded. The leaf buds are visible on the branch just above the flowers. This photo was taken of a tree in the grounds of Papakowhai School.
Kowhai Sophora microphylla in full bloom before the leaves have budded. The leaf buds are visible on the branch just abo. Photo: Karora, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A Kowhai tree ( Sophora microphylla ) in full bloom prior to the leaf buds emerging. This was taken at Papakowhai School.
A Kowhai tree ( Sophora microphylla ) in full bloom prior to the leaf buds emerging. This was taken at Papakowhai School. Photo: Karora, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Identifier : plantsofnewzeala1906lain ( find matches ) Title : Plants of New Zealand Year : 1906 ( 1900s ) Authors : Laing, R. M. (Robert Malcolm), b. 1865 Blackwell, E. W. (Ellen W.) Subjects : Plants Publisher : Christ
Identifier : plantsofnewzeala1906lain ( find matches ) Title : Plants of New Zealand Year : 1906 ( 1900s ) Authors : Lai. Photo: Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons

How Kōwhai is used

Māori used kōwhai branches for building, bird snares, and tools. The flowers provided yellow dye, and the bark was used in rongoā (traditional medicine) for wounds, bruises, and muscle pain. Today, kōwhai are common in gardens and appear in national symbols, including stamps, coins, and Meghan Markle’s wedding veil.

Kinds of Kōwhai

Eight species are recognised, including Sophora microphylla (small-leaved) and Sophora tetraptera (large-leaved). Others include coastal, limestone, and prostrate forms. Hybridisation between species is common, especially in the North and South Islands, making identification difficult in some areas.

What Kōwhai means

Kōwhai’s flowering signals the time to plant kūmara and harvest kina. Its vivid yellow blooms are a beloved national symbol, though not official. The tree features in Māori seasonal knowledge and modern iconography as a shorthand for New Zealand’s natural identity.

Questions people ask about Kōwhai

Where does kōwhai come from?

Kōwhai is native only to New Zealand, where eight species of Sophora grow wild beside streams and forest edges.

What is kōwhai used for?

Traditionally, Māori used it for yellow dye, medicine, building, and tools. Today it’s a garden favourite and national symbol.

Is kōwhai poisonous?

Yes, all parts, especially the seeds, contain cytisine and are toxic to humans, though confirmed poisonings are rare.

When does kōwhai flower?

In New Zealand, kōwhai blooms from July to November, with peak flowering in late winter and early spring.

Why is kōwhai important in New Zealand?

Its bright yellow flowers are a cultural icon, appearing on stamps and coins, and are widely seen as an unofficial national flower.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Kōwhai", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Others in the family Fabaceae

The whole family
Acacia Shrubs and trees with golden or cream puffball flowers, native mostly to Australia 🇦🇺 Australia and 6 more · Wildflower Sensitive PlantMimosa pudica A touch-sensitive plant whose leaves fold up when disturbed 🇧🇷 Brazil and 8 more · Wildflower Black locustRobinia pseudoacacia A tall, fragrant-flowered tree native to eastern North America 🇺🇸 United States and 7 more · Flowering tree LupinLupinus Tall, spiky-flowered legumes grown for gardens, food, and soil health 🇺🇸 United States and 7 more · Wildflower

More from New Zealand

All the flowers of New Zealand
Wild cherryPrunus avium A tall flowering tree native to Europe, grown for its sweet fruit and spring blossom 🇮🇹 Italy and 6 more · Flowering tree YarrowAchillea millefolium A wild, fern-leaved plant with flat clusters of white or pink flowers and a spicy scent 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Wildflower Common poppyPapaver rhoeas The vivid red wildflower of fields and remembrance 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Dog roseRosa canina A wild climbing rose with pale pink flowers and bright red hips 🇮🇪 Ireland and 7 more · Wildflower

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly bunch

Every Monday: what is in bloom, the flower festivals of the week, seven flowers you may not know and one tradition explained.