Kawakawa is a small tree in the pepper family, one of the most sacred medicinal and ceremonial plants in Māori tradition. Its distinctive leaves — often holey from looper moth feeding, which is considered a sign of potency — are used in rongoā Māori (traditional healing) for digestive complaints, pain, skin conditions, and as a purifying steam bath. Worn at tangihanga (funerals) and woven into garlands, kawakawa bridges the medicinal and the spiritual. Its active compounds myristicin and dihydrokavain provide anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity.
leaf, bark
tea, steam bath, poultice, tincture
2–3 fresh or dried leaves as tea 2x daily; use topically as poultice for localised pain
Generally safe in moderate amounts. Not well studied in pregnancy — avoid as a precaution.
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