16/11/2024

 We haven't been here for a while and the spring growth is well underway. Some species, like the Whariki or Mountain Flax, have almost finished flowering. Others like the Turutu, Dianella, are forming flower buds now. The Gahnia setifolia we have outside our door has about 50 tall flower spikes up now, but they are not open yet.

Gahnia setifolia

It tends to get overlooked as just another cutty grass, but it is quite impressive. Before the seeds form, the spikes are about 3m tall, but thin. After the seeds form, the spikes curve over gracefully. The masses of seeds are a rich coppery colour, about 4mm long and 2mm wide. As far as I know, no native birds eat them, but the sparrows certainly do. It seems odd that such a prolific food source isn't utilised by a native species. The seeds persist for more than 12 months on the plant and the quantities are such that they could have been a significant food source for early residents. 

The young swallows have all left their nest since our last visit, but the adults are still flying around all the time. Presumably they are thinking about nesting again. Clare saw one sitting on the nest for a while, so maybe the female has started to lay again. 

The Tui are doing their regular beats, checking the remaining flax flowers every half hour or so, so they must still be getting nectar. they are not very vocal this time, but are very obvious flying around and sometimes chasing through or over the bush. Their flight is noisy and distinctive, fast and at times not predictable.

Tui in Whariki

I am still confused about a call I have been hearing in the mornings. It consists of four or occasionally five, evenly spaced high notes. I have not seen the bird and wonder if it is a Tui. I have known them to imitate strange things before, including a rusty door hinge. People have taught them to talk in the past. 

I watched a pair of young Fantails, Piwakawaka, flitting about over the wet area beside the Kahikatea. They have indistinct facial stripes at present, which will become whiter and more obvious as they mature. They are always interested in people. I have read that it is because we stir up insects for them, but I do not believe this is the main reason. They happily come and visit when you are moving very quietly or even sitting still. The mercenary motivation is, I think, a gross over-simplification and a devaluing of the birds. 

I spent some time this morning, Sunday, wandering off track, noticing small seedlings and removing little Barberry. The Barberry seedlings are easily recognised, fortunately, and I pull them out when I see them, but it is a continuing job as there are many bushes on the neighbouring farms and they produce large volumes of fruit. As long as they are under 150mm tall they are easy to pull out. I did find one about knee height and, though I managed to get it out, I had to remove a spine from beside my finger nail when I got back to the house. 

Frost damage on the few Puriri and Rewarewa we have on the place means that most have lost growing tips and a few have died. Those that have survived are putting out new shoots now, so hopefully, they will put on more growth than gets knocked back next year. Being closer to the harbour, the Puriri at Ian's place seem to grow faster and get more bushy than ours. 

I spotted a few native passionfruit, Kohia, seedlings while out wandering. With luck we may have a few more climbers in a few years. There is a large Kohia by the stile, but it is in a place that is difficult to see. We also have one Clematis (Puawhananga), and several Kaihua. The Kaihua seem to do well and seed freely. the flowers are smaller than Puawhanga and less spectacular, but still nice to see. there is one beside the drive which is good, because the flowers tend to be near eye level rather than well above, due to the slope of the land and the openness of the drive. 

We also have lots of Pohuehue, Muehlenbeckia australis, which, despite being native, I look on as an undesirable weed. It climbs fast, spreads readily and smothers other plants in light bush and edges. This makes it particularly problematic in revegetation areas. I pull out what I can.

The various species of Tii or Cordyline are in flower at present too. Most people know the common Cabbage tree, Tii Koouka.

Cabbage Tree, C. australis

It is an attractive and distinctive native plant, although there are 24 recognised species found through much of the western Pacific region. It thrives in full sun and damp soils, but dies out when it gets over-topped by taller species. Toi, C. indivisa, is a very attractive species, but it only grows in colder areas and elevations so wont grow at our place, although there are several specimens on the road above us on the mountain and there were two near the saddle on the road over, but I think they have succumbed to the heat in recent years. We have quite a few Tii Ngahere, C. banksii, 

Cordyline banksii

which is often seen on the side of roads through the bush, and does grow on banks. It is not as big as Tii Koouka and has a less tidy structure, but longer leaves. The other species I know of is Tii rauriki or C. pumilio. It has little or no stem so usually sits on the ground and looks like a sedge until it flowers. It likes drier sites in the bush. There are some coloured forms of this at nurseries. 

In addition to these native Cordylines,  there is another species found in some warmer parts from Hamilton north. Cordyline fruticosa was brought here with Maaori settlers from warmer Pacific islands.

Tii Pore, Cordyline fruticosa

It was grown as a crop, for its swollen tap root, which was removed when the plant was dug up, then regrew when the plant was replaced in the ground. It is apparently sweet and nutritious. I have seen it growing at Raglan and on Hamilton's outskirts. It is also sold as a house plant as it frequently has pink or yellow stripes, occurring on the leaves.