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Climbing Rata
The climbing Rata is our showiest native climber with its predominantly bright red flowers. In lowland coastal forests you will see this vigorous climber scrambling up trees by means of its aerial roots which cling tightly to all surfaces and support the slender stems. During spring the bunches of fluffy showy flowers tempt nectar feeding birds. While tramping I have come across carpets of red made up of thousands of spent flower stamens. The Ratas themselves may not be that visible but peering up into the upper storey of the trees usually reveals the Rata in its fiery coloured raiment.
Metrosideros carminea or Carmine Rata is a close relative of the Pohutukawa.The small rounded and shining deep green leaves have reddish new stems. Patience is required before flowers are borne.In the bush the Carmine Rata doesn’t flower until it has reached the upper levels of the tree where it is exposed to sunlight. In the home garden there is usually more light as plants aren’t jostling each other as they reach for the light so you can expect flowers within eight years.
Carmine Rata prefers a cool and moist semi shady position ,sheltered from heavy frosts. It will cling to any surface that is not smooth and will climb or tumble down. It looks particulary effective growing up the trunks of Pongas
Metrosideros fulgens
Is another climbing Rata that flowers from late summer into late autumn. This is a coarse growing self clinger with multiple stout stems that twist around each other and around the branches of trees like ropes. The large bunches of flowers are very showy, mainly in orange and red tones and occasionally yellow. It is a very useful climber, flowering when few others are. In the home garden as well as using this as a climber allow to grow over dead tree trunks or down banks where it will drape beautifully. If you want flowers position in full sun. The orange Rata vine comes form the coastal forest region so needs to be sheltered from medium sized frosts.
In the wild when both these climbing Ratas have reached the tops of their host trees they stop clinging and climbing. Instead they grow larger sized leaves and branches instead of tendrils. Buds and flowers are produced and the Ratas continue to grow as small sized shrubs. They perch up in the tops of their host trees, quite often appearing to have overtaken them. But usually this is not the case. The Rata only uses the tree as a ladder. Its roots will be entwined with its hosts deep in the earth and competing for nutrients and water .Only if the tree is weak and dying will the Rata overtake the foliage with its own and then appear to be a large Rata tree. But it is still only hanging onto an existing tree. Over many decades the trunk will decay only to crash to the forest floor one day with the Rata still clinging on for dear life.
Adult Rata Bushes.
Enterprising nurserymen took cuttings from the adult non climbing parts of the Ratas to give us dwarf growing shrubs. These slow growing shrubs rarely grow more than 1.0ms and we can enjoy the showy flowers without having to climb trees to view them.
Grow them in part or full sun, protected from frosts. They grow bushy without the need for pruning and flower prolifically. They are also very nice grown in containers. The variety Fulgens are tolerant of coastal winds.
Metrosideros carminea Carousel
Glossy green leaves are broadly margined yellow. This is a very attractive dwarf shrub for all seasons. Carmine red flowers in spring smothers this bush. 80 cms
Metrosideros carminea Ferris Wheel
Glossy deep green leaves. Bright carmine red flowers with golden stamens through spring. 90cms
Metrosideros fulgens Red or Gold
Both soft orange and golden yellow flowered variants are available. This Rata flowers from mid autumn through to early winter. Grows 1.0
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