Conservation Comment: Spring flowers of the forest

The tiny green flowers of the hangehange (Geniostoma rupestre). Photo / Supplied

My mother really enjoyed playing the piano, and one of her favourite pieces was 'Flowers of the Forest', an ancient Scottish song. I have no lived experience of Scottish forest flowers. I imagine they are mostly bluebells and other colourful species.

Here in Aotearoa, our forest flowers are often white and usually inconspicuous, with a few notable exceptions such as the puawānanga (Clematis paniculate), our native clematis which flowers in spring. The fallen petals stand out against the gloom of the forest floor, while the swathes of snowy flowers are far above, decorating the canopy but being otherwise unseen. At Tarapuruhi, Bushy Park, visitors can get great views of puawānanga from the public carpark, where you can look down onto the forest canopy.

Similarly, up in the canopy and way out of sight, are the crimson bunches of rewarewa (Knightia excelsa) in bloom. Their fallen flowers sprinkle forest paths underneath with fantastic crimson petals, coiled up like tiny springs.

The springtime flowering of both kōwhai (Sophora ssp.) and kowhaingutukākā, or kākā-beak (Clianthus maximus), is much more attention-grabbing. These showy natives get pride of place in many gardens, roadside berms and public parks, providing a much sought-after food source for tui and korimako (bellbirds) in the urban environment.

One of the most inconspicuous native forest flowers is hangehange (Geniostoma rupestre). The blossoms are tiny, green and almost invisible - though if you walk past a hangehange in full flower, you will notice a sweet, vanilla scent as you pass. When hangehange blooms, thousands of tiny green starry flowers carpet the forest paths, which retain a faint scent if you pick them up.

On a recent showery day, I was leading a forest walk at Tarapuruhi, Bushy Park with a school group. There was a sudden gust of wind, and it began to rain heavily, but not with raindrops. It was hangehange flowers, falling all around us, surrounding us in a rain of tiny green scented flowers. The flowers landed in the children's hair, on their clothes, on the paths. They chased the falling blossoms, trying to catch them, and caught flowers in their cupped hands. Their faces expressed wonder and delight.

If you want to experience a springtime flower shower, head out to Tarapuruhi, Bushy Park during the next week or two and enjoy a scented rain of hangehange. It is an unforgettable experience.

Margaret Beautrais is an Educator at Whanganui Regional Museum.