For those who detest consistency, particularly in the realm of horticulture - kaihua

A specimen from Kew's Herbarium - https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:80926-1

Kaihua, or to be precise and use the Latin nomenclature - Parsonsia heterophylla, is a climber endemic to New Zealand and one that displays many different leaf forms on the same plant! This is true while the plant is still in its juvenile stage; leaves can range from being short and round to sword-shaped. They may have smooth margins or be lobed, and then there is also the colour variation - from brown, through mottled, to a combination of both. This is a plant that can leave you ... well, guessing at least.

All of this changes, though, once this plant reaches maturity. The leaves become more uniform, leathery, dark green, and more or less elliptical in shape. This is also the time when kaihua starts to produce flowers. And it's definitely worth the wait. These sweetly scented clusters of tiny, creamy, tubular flowers adorn this plant from September to March. They are often seen draped over the tops of trees and climbing through shrubs in its preferred habitat - forest margins and clearings in coastal scrub patches throughout Aotearoa.

Clusters of sweetly scented flowers. Photo by Phil Bendle.

Pollination is ensured by the night-flying moths attracted by the scent, while the New Zealand bellbird (korimako) devours its sweet nectar during the day.

New Zealand bellbird (Anthornis melanura) male, Titritiri Matangi, off North Island, New Zealand. Photo by Charles J. Sharp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_bellbird

Kaihua flowers are followed by fruit in the form of long, narrow pods that, once mature, open to release tufted seeds that are carried away by the wind.

Kaihua is an evergreen climber that climbs its host, or in a garden situation, a trellis perhaps, by twining its stems around the available support. While in the wild it can reach up to ten metres, in a garden this would be more limited. Easily controlled by pruning, it requires a cool, shaded root run, free draining soil is a must and it will toletrate very dry conditions as well as some degree of frost.

Parsonsia heterophylla thriving in a garden situation, quickly beautifying vertical surfaces. Photo by Gabriela V.

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Source:

100 best native plants for New Zealand gardens (Eadie, F. 2014, Random House New Zealand)

Nature guide to New Zealand forest (Dawson, J. & Lucas, R. 2000, Random House New Zealand)

Wikipedia

Authoritative website of The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

Mamaku, the giant umbrella of the forest - New Zealand's largest fern species.

Mamaku, our tallest tree fern, with immense fronds up to 6 metres long, can be referred to as the giant umbrella of the forest. It is not uncommon for this ancient plant, dating back to the time of the dinosaurs, to reach heights of 20 meters.

Spheropteris medullaris (syn. Cyathea medullaris), also known as the black tree fern, is easily recognised by its jet-black frond stalks (stipes) covered in black scales and its trunk displaying distinctive hexagonal stipe scars (where the old fronds have fallen off).

Mamaku, also known as katātā or kōrau in te reo Māori. Photo by Gabriela V.

We have only recently begun to understand the significant role it plays in forest regeneration. Mamaku is often the first to appear in areas where a forest has been cleared, aiding in landscape recovery after disruption. It is commonly found on wetter, steeper south-facing sites, where it quickly forms short-lived forests. Beneath their dark canopies, sensitive broad-leaved species such as kohekohe (Dysoxylum spectabile), pukatea (Laurelia novae-zelandiae), tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa), and miro (Prumnopitys ferruginea) can grow and eventually replace it.

Mamaku, a hydrophyte (a plant species adapted to thrive in water or wet conditions), typically favours moist environments and can often be observed growing along streams. It is predominantly found in broadleaved forests, but also grows in podocarp, beech, and kānuka forests.

Its trunk acts as an aerial nursery for seedlings of several native plant species. Often in the forest, you will see remnants of mamaku acting as a support for a newly grown tree that has taken its place.

Young seedling of native Brachyglottis repanda growing happily on the trunk of a tree fern. Photo by Gabriela V.

With time, the native tree will get more and more established, eventually replacing the tree fern at the end of its life. Photo by Gabriela V.

The decomposing fronds of mamaku enrich the soil, benefiting nearby forest plants and aiding nutrient-hungry seedlings in growing into large trees. Additionally, the fibrous trunk of the mamaku provides an ideal habitat for various insects.

One of Aotearoa's rarest bird species, the Hihi or stitchbird, uses mamaku fibres collected from the kōrau (the spiral-shaped new fern frond) to build its nests and blanket its eggs.

Hihi - male - unbanded. credit: digital trails. Creative Commons.

Mamaku's kōrau - the newly forming frond. Photo by Gabriela V.

Hihi nest with young chicks. Photo by Chris Devine @ Forest and Bird Notice the kōrau fibres lining the nest.

In addition to aiding land regeneration and supporting various plant and animal species, mamaku also offers calming medicinal benefits for humans.

In Rongoā Māori, the traditional Māori healing system, different parts of mamaku are used to treat skin conditions, rashes and ulcers, cure internal parasites, soothe sore throats and assist with the post-partum recovery.

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Source: Nature Guide to the New Zealand Forest (Dawson, J. & Lucas, R. 2000, Random House,New Zealand); The Meaning of Trees (Vennel, R. 2019 Harper Collins Publishers, New Zealand); NZ Forest and Bird authoritative website https://www.forestandbird.org.nz

The Pōhutukawa tree, an emblem of quiet resilience and generosity

Sometimes referred to as 'The Crimson Coast'. The drive up the coast from Thames on the Coromandel Peninsula offers a spectacular display of countless shades of red. Photo by Gabriela V.

Its name is derived from the term 'hutukawa,' referring to a headdress adorned with red feathers, and 'po,' which holds various meanings, including references to the night or the underworld. The Māori people traditionally planted Pōhutukawa trees to commemorate the burial sites of chiefs, battle locations where warriors perished, or the birthplace of a chief's son. They utilized the bark's juice for its anti-inflammatory properties and as a treatment for conditions such as diarrhoea, dysentery, gangrene, and thrush. Chewing the bark served as an anaesthetic for alleviating sore gums and toothaches, while sucking on its nectar was a remedy for a sore throat.

The Pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) is a member of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), which comprises approximately 3,000 species of tropical and warm temperate trees, shrubs, and vines.

Exceptionally well-suited to its natural habitat. The tree's canopy, more horizontal than vertical, distributes weight through its root-laden branches to withstand severe storms. Minute seeds can infiltrate even the smallest crevices, while its leaves are equipped with soft hairs to reduce water loss. Remarkably adapted for colonizing barren lava, the pōhutukawa's branches develop extensive clusters of aerial roots that, upon contacting the ground, secure themselves in typically unstable rock. These trees can live for up to 1,000 years.

Rupestral habit means the root system spreads over bare rock. Photo by Gabriela V.

This coastal tree serves a significant ecological role by offering a habitat that supports the growth of other colonising plants, it provides nourishment, shelter, and support to an impressive array of animals, and insects too.

Honeyeaters such as tūi, bellbirds, and stitchbirds (which are now absent from the mainland) thrive on the tree's slightly salty nectar, as do pekapeka, our native short-tailed bats. Geckos are attracted to the newly opened flowers and contribute to pollination in a minor capacity. Shags and white-faced herons find refuge and nesting sites in the canopies, while bats inhabit split branches and crevices. Saddlebacks nest within trunk cavities, and the tree's flaky bark supports a diverse array of insects and spiders. Weevils, beetles, flies, moths, and scale insects consume the foliage, bark, fruit, and the twig and leaf litter surrounding the trunk. Just above the strand line (the extreme high water mark), resilient snails persist in the decaying litter.

The impressive aerial roots adorning the gnarled branches of the Pōhutukawa trees. Photo by: Gabriela V.

If you have ever been curious about the cause of the small holes in the leaves of a Pōhutukawa tree, the most probable culprit is the Pōhutukawa leaf miner, Neomycta rubida.

Adult pōhutukawa leaf miner weevil, Neomycta rubida, about 3mm long. Creator: Tim Holmes. ©Plant & Food Research

This endemic weevil is found in the North and South Islands of New Zealand, where its primary host plants are located. Adult weevils feed on young leaves, while the larvae create tunnels within the leaves. Female weevils begin laying eggs when new leaves emerge, depositing a single egg into the blade of a young leaf. Upon hatching, the larva tunnels into the leaf, forming a serpentine mine.

The leaves affected by the weevil's activity. Photo by: Gabriela V.

Damage to the young leaves of Pōhutukawa and northern rātā by the weevil has occasionally raised concerns; however, this does not appear to have any long-term impact on the health of the trees.

This gentle giant from the plant kingdom coexists harmoniously with the smallest creatures within its verdant protective embrace.

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Source: pohutukawa TREE OF AOTEAROA (Bercusson,L. & Torrance, J. 1998, Tandem Press, New Zealand), http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz an authoritative website of Landcare Research New Zealand