The shrub is naturalised in the northern part of the North Island and around Wellington.
Having germinated, whau establishes itself with striking rapidity, and where conditions are favourable, whau is often the first new plant to appear, followed by Urtica ferox, Macropiper excelsum, Coprosma macrocarpa and Coprosma australis.
Cupressus macrocarpa | Coprosma | Couma macrocarpa | Coprosma repens | Coprosma macrocarpa | Coprosma lucida | Carissa macrocarpa | Alsomitra macrocarpa |