| Metrosideros diffusa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Metrosideros diffusa Crystal Showers | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Metrosideros |
| Species: | M. diffusa |
| Binomial name | |
| Metrosideros diffusa Sol. ex Gaertn. | |
| Synonyms | |
Melaleuca diffusa | |
Metrosideros diffusa, thewhite rātā,climbing rātā or in Māoriakakura,[1] is a forest liane orvineendemic to New Zealand. It is one of a number of New ZealandMetrosideros species which live out their lives as vines, unlike the northern rātā (M.robusta), which generally begins as a hemi-epiphyte and grows into a huge tree. It is one of three white flowering rātā vines (the others beinglarge white rātā andsmall white rātā). White rātā is the most common climbing rātā in the wild, found naturally in lowland forests throughout theNorth,South andStewart islands.[2]
Metrosideros diffusa climbs to 6 m tall and has small shiny leaves up to 2 cm or more. The leaves are mostly rounded at the tip. Flowering is from mid-spring to early summer, with white or pale pink flowers.
Metrosideros diffusa is not widely grown in cultivation, but is available from specialist native plant nurseries within New Zealand.[3] In addition there is one known cultivar,Metrosideros diffusa 'Crystal Showers' sold by Blue Mountain Nurseries in Tapanui.[4] This is a slow growing groundcover with white flowers but cream and green variegated foliage.
