Is everyone else around NZ reporting a strong rata flowering? This photo was taken the day after southerly gales in Titahi Bay ( and it grows in a wind tunnel between our house and next door). For the records, which rata is this?
That is Metrosideros carminea which is not indigenous to your area (as far as I know - southern limit Taranaki and Mahia). Its commonly cultivated but I have never seen it naturalise. If you think you have a wild site for it then please let the botanists at Te Papa know (Dr Leon Perrie - [email protected]). This is the correct time of the year to see this species flowering (it may even start in July)
Interesting. I saw M.umbellata flowering in Milford Sound in July - not typical for Southland!
Its growing in my garden care of Bunnings... All my emerald gem flax are in flower aready, one attempted to flower in the middle of winter!
Good to get that cleared up John - I was wondering how I had missed this species at Titahi Bay which I explored pretty carefully between 1990 and 1993 (when I lived in Wellington and Tawa)
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Is everyone else around NZ reporting a strong rata flowering? This photo was taken the day after southerly gales in Titahi Bay ( and it grows in a wind tunnel between our house and next door). For the records, which rata is this?