About Metrosideros colensoi Hook.fil.
Commonly known as Colenso's rātā, the scientific name of this plant is Metrosideros colensoi Hook.fil. Its flowers are either white or pale pink, and it typically flowers from November through January. Its foliage is dark green, while new annual growth emerges in a contrasting lighter green. Most climbing rātā grow as vines that climb up other forest trees, but Colenso's rātā also prefers limestone cliff faces, where it can climb without significant disturbance. It occurs naturally in lowland forest as far south as Greymouth and Kaikōura. In cultivation, Metrosideros colensoi is a notable species that remains considerably undervalued. It is superior in multiple ways to more commonly grown related species like Metrosideros carminea. This is due to the structured, orderly appearance of its growth habit, and the sense of 'movement' created by its downward-arching branches.
