Kakabeak Starting to Flower

Back Blip..

This lovely Kakabeak plant has just started to flower at my holiday home in Akaroa. I was taking a walk around the garden watering the plants before leaving to come back to Christchurch when I noticed it. It is difficult to keep the garden well watered as you are not aloud to use water sprinklers because of water restrictions at the moment.

It is sad leaving this wonderful place and going back to the city again. It has been a wonderful 12 days away from the rat race.

All about this flower
The kakabeak/kowhai ngutukaka is found only in New Zealand. There are two species, both seriously threatened with extinction in the wild: Clianthus puniceus and Clianthus maximus..

The kowhai ngutukaka’s beautiful flowers and edible seedpods have long made this plant attractive to gardeners and were used by Māori for gifting and trading.

It has bright green seedpods which turn brown and split open when dry. These pods contain large numbers of tightly packed small black seeds. Its seed remains viable for a long time and therefore can be stored and transported easily.

The shrub features clusters of stunning red flowers each spring. It is a member of the pea family and its closest relatives are in Australia.
Plants can grow up to 2-3m tall, producing long, trailing stems that form new plants when they come into contact with soil. In this way, one parent plant can cover a large area.
For more information on the Kakabeak