15/01/2026
If you are to walk around Rotokura at the moment you will be awe-struck by the sight of Pikirangi (literally climbing to the sky) in full bloom.
Pikirangi (also known as scarlet mistletoe) piggyback on other trees - they are called semi-parasitic plants. What this means is that they make their food taking the energy from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air but, instead of absorbing water and minerals (nutrients) from the soil, they ‘take’ them from a tree or shrub called the host plant.
Korukoru refers to the flower of the scarlet mistletoe.
Of the nine unique species of mistletoe that grow in New Zealand, one is presumed extinct and three are found mainly on beech tree; including Pikirangi.
Native mistletoe populations have declined since the early 1900s mainly due to possums, vegetation clearance, and the decline in native bird species that act as pollinators and seed-dispersers such as tui and korimako (bellbird). Fewer birds results in less fruit being eaten, and as a result of this, less seeds are dispersed throughout Aotearoa’s forests. Rats are also suspected of eating mistletoe, and insects damage them.
Pikirangi is threatened by browsing possums as it is what is known as an ‘ice cream plant’ - as it is one of the most delicious treats a possum can find in our native bush!
Red and scarlet mistletoe belong to a group of few plants in the world that have explosive flowers. To be pollinated, their flowers have to be twisted open by native birds, like tūī and bellbirds, which are after the nectar. When twisted, the flower petals spring open and spray the bird with pollen. The pollen is shifted by the bird to the next flowers, which are fertilised to produce fruits (berries).
