What to look for in Spring - flowers

 

Puawhananga Clematis Paniculata

One of the exciting signs of spring in the New Zealand bush are the star-like flowers of the clematis vine Clematis paniculata or puawhananga. According to one reference I found, Māori legend says pua wānanga or puawhananga is the child of two stars - of autumn and summer - so heralding the spring. Another reference says the name means ‘the flower of the skies’. Such beautiful images for a beautiful flower.

If you are in the bush you might be lucky enough to spot a galaxy of these large but delicate flowers. They're usually high in the canopy but on the bush edges or on low regenerating bush they can sometimes be at eye height like the ones in my photos.

A galaxy of flowers

The native Clematis paniculata is easy to tell apart from the invasive non-native Clematis vitalba or old man’s beard as it has a different seasonal pattern. Old man’s beard flowers in summer not spring. By summer our native vines are sporting fluffy seed heads. Paniculata is also evergreen, whereas old man’s beard is deciduous.

Related Posts:

Male and female flowers of clematis https://explorediscovernature.blogspot.com/2017/09/out-and-about-in-spring-clematis-and.html

References:

http://www.temarareo.org/TMR-Pua.html 

https://www.wildernessmag.co.nz/see-bush-clematis/

Out and About in Spring - clematis and other plants to see

A single clematis flower fallen to the forest floor

Out and about in Wellington in spring, it would be hard to miss the clematis in flower.

Clematis paniculata or Puawhananga is a native vine that festoons the forest. It's easiest to see on the edges of the forest or looking down on to the canopy.

My tramping group got curious about the clematis flowers looking different. So back home I did some research.

Signs of Spring and Summer - and the first cicada

The white star-shaped flowers of the clematis vine hung across the green trees across the valley, were the very first signs of spring.  

Native clematis

Forest and Bird Walks in Wellington - from my journal

It's spring and heading into tramping season. Thanks to the longer days and warmer weather (and the fact that I'm between books) I've been able to go out with Forest and Bird on a lot of day walks. Here's a sample from my nature journal of what I've observed.

Puriri moth

WEDNESDAY 8th - KARAPOTI

Tramping out from seeing  the Giant Rata, a puriri moth was found by a fellow tramper on the pathway. He picked it up to move it to safety.  This is the first time I've seen a live puriri moth so I was pretty excited by this find. What a gorgeous mossy green and what big eyes it has!

First Day of Spring - Tui and native flowers

The traditional first day of spring is cool, calm and sunny. We've had many winter days with settled weather, so it's been easy to get out and about. There have been signs of spring everywhere. The noisiest are the tui, usually solitary birds, they're gathering together, chasing, swooping and flying around the bay from tree to tree.

Five Tui silhouetted in a tree

Winter Flowers in the Bush

In the last week our native clematis has been starting to make itself seen. Patches of frothy white blooms are appearing on the bush canopy. They'll grace the canopy for a few months before the flowers die and turn into fluffy seed heads and the leaves merge back into the green canopy.

Department of Conservation have published a resource about clematis in the Wellington region that can help you tell one native clematis from another.

Clematis paniculata