Fuchsia excorticata

Fuchsia excorticata, commonly known as the kōtukutuku and tree fuchsia, is a species of tree in the family Onagraceae that is endemic to New Zealand. It is the largest Fuchsia species and is deciduous, an uncommon trait in New Zealand plants. It reaches 13 metres (40 feet) in height with a trunk up to 70 cm (28 in) in diameter. Its range mainly covers the North, South, and Stewart Islands, but can be found as far south as the Auckland Islands. It inhabits lowland to montane ecosystems, and is especially common near streams and forest margins. Its altitudinal range is from 0–1,050 m (0–3,445 ft) above sea level. F. excorticata is noted for its bark, which naturally peels off into thin sheets of paper. Its scientific name, excorticata, reflects this distinctive property.

Fuchsia excorticata was first described by the German naturalists Johann Reinhold Forster and Georg Forster in 1775. F. excorticata is self-compatible, but its colourful flowers commonly attract bird pollinators. F. excorticata's fruits are dispersed by fruit-eating animals (frugivores), such as birds. F. excorticata is one of New Zealand's least flammable trees, which earned it the nickname "bucket-of-water" wood by early European settlers as it is very difficult to burn. F. excorticta is a culturally important tree to the indigenous Māori people; it had multiple uses, importantly, the berries were used as a source of food. They were also eaten by early European settlers in the form of jams and puddings. F. excorticata's 2023 assessment in the New Zealand Threat Classification System was "Not Threatened".