These two Phoenix palms are probably two of the oldest specimens in Taranaki. They are a significant feature of Hawera’s King Edward Park (KEP), founded in 1902 and recently awarded Garden of National Significance status. Despite there being a significant and detailed history of KEP, the exact date of planting is not known. However, historical photos enable an estimate of date of planting as circa 1914: in a photo from 1920 a 1.5 metre Phoenix can be seen to the left of the larger cabbage tree, looking to be at least six years old [1]. In a second aerial photo from 1958 [2] this palm and one not seen in the 1920 photo can be seen next to the caretaker’s cottage. A new lodge was built in 1963, and legend has it [3] that one of the palms was moved by a bulldozer to a new location approximately 75 metres away (see the photos below) . As the photos show it survived the move and both palms are in excellent health.
References:
1. Photograph, King Edward Park, Hawera 1920, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1784-132.
2. Hawera, 1958. Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-47097-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23252284
3. Personal communication, David Bruce, Parks Curator, South Taranaki District Council. David is also the author of A Brief History of King Edward Park available in the KEP website.