kākābeak

Exact habitat preferences remain uncertain. Historic records often lack detail, and in many cases it is difficult to know whether specimens originated from natural sites or from Māori plantings. The only confirmed wild population occurs in short coastal scrub, growing on talus at the base of eroding mudstone cliffs.

moist

well drained

free draining

dry

full sun

partial shade

height | 2m

width | 2m

flowering | August - January

fruiting |  Seed pods may be present at any time of the year

The natural distribution of Clianthus puniceus was once limited to the North Island of New Zealand, but it is now listed as Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN. The last wild populations were lost around 2015, with no plants found in subsequent surveys. Decline was driven by habitat loss, competition for space, browsing by introduced herbivores, and human impacts such as seed collection and the introduction of invasive species. At the same time, human intervention has also aided the species’ survival: extensive cultivation, propagation, and the creation of new habitats have ensured its persistence in gardens and collections. C. puniceus is widely grown today and is notable as one of the first endemic plants to be cultivated both within New Zealand and overseas. Valued for its striking flowers and form, its seeds were distributed from early colonial gardens to places such as California and England, and it continues to be cultivated in Europe and elsewhere.