Auckland Botanic gardens

Knightia excelsa

Taste: Nutty, mild; pollen slightly sweet

Use: Bright yellow pollen (pua) collected and mixed with water to make steamed cakes (pua-renga); inner stems also edible

When to harvest: Summer (when pollen is bright yellow and easily released)

Where to find: Wetlands, lake edges, and slow-moving waterways; grows in shallow water and boggy margins

Harvest sparingly and only where permitted, as wetlands are sensitive ecosystems.