Kākābeak
A striking native shrub named for its clusters of red, claw-shaped flowers, said to resemble the beak of a kākā parrot. Kākābeak (Clianthus puniceus and C. maximus) is critically endangered in the wild, with only a small number of plants left on isolated cliffs and slips, so a garden-grown plant is a genuine, small contribution to keeping the species going, not just an ornamental choice. It wants full sun and sharp drainage, mirroring the steep, rocky sites it naturally grows on, and has no natural defences against garden snails, which will strip a young plant overnight if left unchecked.
Something wrong with your kākābeak?
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- low
- Spacing
- 150cm
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 2m
- Flowering season
- Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
- Attracts wildlife
- Tūī, Native bees
- Evergreen
- Yes
- Common pests
- Snails and slugs
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: March-April and September-November. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: September-November.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentAutumn or spring
- Choose full sun and genuinely free-draining soil, mirroring the steep, rocky sites it grows on in the wild
- Water regularly while young plants establish; water needs drop off once settled in
- Check regularly for snails and slugs, which can strip a young plant's foliage overnight since it has no natural defences against them
Early growth
- Keep up snail and slug control through this stage; losses are far more common in young plants than established ones
- Give it room to spread; mature plants sprawl wider than they grow tall
FloweringSpring into early summer
- Clusters of red, claw-shaped flowers appear on arching branches; tūī and native bees both visit them
- Avoid heavy pruning just before or during flowering
Maturity
- Established plants are fast-growing but often relatively short-lived as garden shrubs; taking cuttings or collecting seed helps keep a planting going
- Good drainage remains the main ongoing requirement; it dislikes sitting wet far more than it dislikes dry conditions