They are found in diverse plant species, including epiphytes such as orchids, tropical coastal swamp trees such as mangroves, the resourceful banyan trees, the warm-temperate rainforest rātā (Metrosideros robusta) and pōhutukawa (M. excelsa) trees of New Zealand and vines like Common Ivy (Hedera helix) and poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans).
It is a common canopy tree in lowland forests north of Auckland, often growing in association with kauri (Agathis australis), pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), tawapou (Pouteria costata), and pūriri (Vitex lucens) on basalt rocks and soils.
Sam travels to New Zealand and collaborates with Epic Brewing Company to brew a special indigenous tamarillo and pōhutukawa brew for Beervana, an annual craft beer competition.
It feeds nocturnally on New Zealand native foliage such as mānuka and pōhutukawa, but can also be found feeding on introduced plants, particularly Roses and genus Rubus (berries).
Nicholas was then invited by good friend, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery to brew a beer with him for the Discovery Channel series Brew Masters, where the duo concocted a beer called Portamarillo, brewed with pōhutukawa wood-smoked Tamarillo fruit.
Metrosideros excelsa, the pōhutukawa, a coastal evergreen tree species
The pōhutukawa has been introduced to other countries with mild-to-warm climates, including south-eastern Australia, where it is naturalising on coastal cliffs near Sydney.
Disturbed by these findings, staff from Northland Department of Conservation and New Zealand Forest Products now Carter Holt Harvey) came up with the idea of creating a community-based project to help pohutukawa.