Tawari Honey

Tawari (Ixerba brexioides), (and Tawari honey) is found in the Northern half of the North Island. It can be described as a bushy tree with thick, narrow, serrated, dark green leaves and panicles of white flowers with a green heart. The fruit is a green capsule that splits open to reveal the black seeds partly covered with a fleshy scarlet aril against the white inside of the fruit.

Flower buds are formed in March and April and these open from October to the end of December.

Tawari flowers are a rich and abundant source of nectar. The nectar contains a lot of fructose and much water. The honey may be thin as a consequence, but nonetheless crystallizes quickly. The honey has a light colour and tastes a bit like butterscotch. Bark can produce a black dye that is known to be used on flax.^[9] Māori people traditionally used the flowers to make necklaces and other adornments to be worn at festivities.^[7]

^{Mountain Gold Tawari Honey can be purchased at our online store. Go to the menu bar, click Shop - Native New Zealand Honey}