Metrosideros bartlettii, also known as Bartlett's rātā, Cape Reinga white rātā or in Māori as rātā moehau, is one of twelve Metrosideros species endemic to New Zealand and is notable for its extreme rarity and its white flowers, somewhat uncommon in that genus of red-flowered trees and plants. Its natural range is in the far north of the North Island at Te Paki, in three patches of dense native forest near Spirits Bay (34° S) that escaped destruction by fire, namely Radar Bush, Kohuronaki Bush, and Unuwhao Bush.
Only 13 adult trees are known to exist in the wild (down from 34 in 1992) and most of these are either ill or dying. The lack of fossil evidence elsewhere suggests that the tree may always have been restricted to the North Cape area, which was an island until it was connected to the mainland by the sandspit that constitutes Ninety Mile Beach.
Has dark green foliage and produces white flowers throughout the summer. An evergreen tree that grows well in either full sun or partial shade where soils are fertile, evenly moist and free-draining. Protect from frosts when young and avoid very dry sites.
Naturally the tree grows in coastal or lowland forest and in cultivation the tree will do best in open sunny sites with well drained, fertile soils. The tree can grow up to 30m but in cultivation it more commonly ranges between 8-10m. An endangered species that would be a treasure in any garden or landscape.