Lemon tree's historical link

Northland's human and horticultural history has been remembered with the planting of a heritage tree in the grounds of Kerikeri Mission Station.

The lemon tree planted next to the Stone Store footbridge on Sunday was propagated from a tree growing at the site of New Zealand's first European settlement.

Oihi, also known as Hohi, was settled in 1814 on land granted by Ruatara for a mission station at the tip of the Purerua Peninsula in the northern Bay of Islands.

Among the mission station's inhabitants was Thomas Hansen, New Zealand's first non-missionary European settler.

Some of his many descendants converged on Kerikeri to see his great-great-grandson, Stan Hansen of Auckland, and Hugh Rihari, representing Oihi hapu Ngati Titorehina, plant the tree.

Great-great-great-grandson Eric Hansen, of Ruakaka, said the lemon tree found growing at Oihi had been identified as a heritage variety, either a Lisbon lemon or Australian bush lemon.

Because lemons rarely self-seeded and the mission station was abandoned in 1832, he was convinced the Oihi lemon was one of oldest introduced trees in the country. The adjacent pa was abandoned shortly afterwards.

The tree planted on Sunday had been propagated from cuttings by Bream Bay Landscapes in Ruakaka.

Kerikeri Mission Station manager Liz Bigwood said the lemon was a welcome addition to the garden's heritage tree collection.

Thomas Hansen had close ties to the Kerikeri site, having been employed by the pioneer missionary John Butler first to source the wood for sawyers preparing timber for Kemp House and later as a carpenter.

Far North Mayor Wayne Brown and representatives of the Historic Places Trust, Department of Conservation and Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board also attended the planting ceremony.

John Thode, of Bream Bay Landscapes, has propagated another 20 lemon trees for Hansen family members or those with an interest in heritage trees.