Below is a before and after styling of a Dwarf NZ Rata, Metrosideros Carminea. It actually grows as a vine, unlike it’s full size cousin the Northern Rata (M. robusta), occuring in coastal and low land forest. It has beautiful miniature pohutukawa like red flowers during spring & summer, and thus takes on the look of a miniature pohutukawa when grown as a bonsai.
Before work
After work
Below are some close ups… I’ll get a snap of it in flower this coming summer!
The leaves are tiny, reducing down to 2-3mm
The pot is a blue-grey glazed that compliments the red flowers in summer beautifully
Moss/Lichen close-up
Below is an image of the Pohutukawa like red flowers, and an image of the tree in it’s endemic NZ forest environment, literally hanging from a tree fern…
Dwarf Rata flower detail
Rata in the wild
Thanks for reading!