Kawakawa

Kawakawa is the herb derived from the heart-shaped leaves of Piper excelsum (syn. Macropiper excelsum), a small tree in the pepper family (Piperaceae). A New Zealand native, its leaves carry a warm, peppery aroma and are often riddled with holes from the kawakawa looper caterpillar, which Māori read as a sign of a more potent leaf. In the kitchen, the leaves and the sweet orange fruit flavor teas, seasonings, and drinks. Kawakawa is the gentler, more aromatic counterpart to the fiery horopito, both of which are called “the pepper tree” by New Zealanders.