This tree often grows in the Southland podocarp forests alongside the likes of Kahikatea. The pōkākā is cold tolerant and a native forest tree. Pōkākā caught my eye as it has a juvenile form displaying 3 different leaf shapes. From this it grows to a tall canopy tree with a shorter leaf. This transformation is a bit like the change of lancewood/ horoeka from a young plant to established tree. I had a few seedlings of these generously gifted by the Southland Community Nursery. Most of them were planted immediately but one became my drawing tree, conveniently able to sit beside my sketch book. For the William Hodges Fellowship I have produced a mezzotint of this plant, partly because I enjoyed the variety of leaf shapes and the fine twiggy, interlaced branches, but also as a way to highlight this plant - lesser known than its forest counterparts. I chose mezzotint for this plant because the dark background of a mezzotint would enable me to highlight the distinctive leaf shapes and delicate branches.
