Twenty-one crimson rata planted

Twenty-one crimson rata - Metrosideros carminea were planted around our gully this past winter. This is a climbing vine that is endemic to New Zealand and grows well on rock faces and walls as well as up tree ferns trunks. The flower is a small version of a pōhutukawa flower as they are in the same genus. They are a lot smaller than their northern rata cousins with smaller leaves and flowers but are still quite spectacular when in full flower. There is a well-established white species – Metrosideros perforate – at our Sexton Road entrance climbing up a dead tree fern.