Archival print: Karo - Pittosporum Crassifolium

This individually signed Giclee print is taken from an original watercolour work by Jennifer Duval-Smith, a self-taught botanical artist living and working in Auckland

Pittosporum crassifolium, commonly called Karo, is a small tree or shrub native to New Zealand. Karo was originally found over the top half of the North Island, but has now naturalised throughout New Zealand and in Norfolk Island and Hawaii. It is a tough lowland and coastal forest plant. Mature trees grow to about 5 metres (16 ft) in height.

Other common names include stiffleaf cheesewood, and in Māori, kaikaro and kīhihi.
Karo has dense dark gray-green leathery leaves that are furry underneath. An early coloniser, it is able to withstand high winds and salt spray. Clusters of sweet-smelling small red-purple flowers appear in spring, developing into seed pods that split into three to expose the dark sticky seeds.

A dark blue dye can be obtained from these seeds. There is a reference to a cloak with a border of black dye from Karo in a karanga about Te Aupouri chief Tumatahina, his hapu and their escape from Murimotu in Northland.

This image is printed on 310gsm archival quality, 100% cotton rag paper. It is acid-free, lignin-free and uses lightfast High Dynamic Range (HDR) Ultra Chrome inks.

Your Karo print will arrive flat and securely wrapped and protected in a robust cardboard outer package, with inner backing board and plastic sleeve.

This image is printed on 310gsm archival quality, 100% cotton rag paper. It is acid-free, lignin-free and uses lightfast High Dynamic Range (HDR) Ultra Chrome inks.