New Zealand’s largest native tree species by volume is the kauri, Agathis australis.
New Zealand kauri is a massive conifer native mainly to the northern North Island. It can rise to about 50 metres, but its defining distinction is bulk: it is the country’s largest tree by volume, although it is not the tallest. Its smooth bark, broad crown and enormous trunk have made it one of New Zealand’s most recognizable native trees.
The famous Tāne Mahuta in Waipoua Forest is a living kauri and the largest known individual of the species. Another celebrated tree, Te Matua Ngahere, is shorter but exceptionally stout. Kauri forests once covered much larger areas, but logging and land clearance greatly reduced them; today, Waipoua Forest and nearby Warawara contain most of the remaining kauri.
Kauri is also threatened by kauri dieback, a disease caused by the introduced soil-borne pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida. Visitors are asked to stay on tracks and clean footwear because soil movement can spread the disease. “Largest by volume” should not be confused with “tallest,” a distinction that makes the quiz wording important.