In New Zealand, its common name is tawapou (Māori: "tawāpou"); on Norfolk Island it is called bastard ironwood.

[1] On Norfolk Island P. costata is an uncommon tree, occurring locally in forested areas and on Mt Pitt, and is listed as 'endangered' under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

[4] Planchonella costata is fairly slow growing, closely branched tree that prefers coastal conditions.

The berries undergo successive stages of colour from green to orange to a very dark red as they ripen, a process that can take from 12 to 15 months.

The fruit are consumed by the kererū (New Zealand pigeon), and the kākā parrot, both of which were represented on Norfolk Island by closely related birds which are now extinct.

Research in New Zealand has shown that the eating of the fruit and the destruction of the seeds by kiore (Pacific rats) has substantially reduced the population of the tree and significantly altered the composition of coastal forest of the northern North Island.

Kiore eat the flesh from freshly fallen tawapou fruit but tend to take the seeds to 'husking stations' where they remove the kernels.

The Mamaru canoe, whose descendants live around Doubtless Bay and near Kaitaia, carried in its crew an important ancestor named Pou.

When they reached East Cape they disgorged the seeds, which grew, and eventually the tawapou trees spread along the coast.