December 2012 – May, 2013
Pohutukawa trees are often called the New Zealand Christmas Tree because their prolific red bottlebrush-like flowers blossom during the December/January holiday season (link).
That’s very nice, but these trees are so much more than a mere holiday-blooming novelty. They are magnificent, and they are everywhere (at least in the North Island). They grow along parkways and walkways, in yards and grassy fields, in the depths of the forest, along ocean beaches, and up the sides of craggy cliffs. They can grow to be very large and hundreds of years old.
One thing pohutukawas especially seem to love growing low over river estuaries or ocean bays. This leads to a quintessential Northland New Zealand scene: the red-blooming pohutukawa tree against a backdrop of turquoise or emerald water. You’ll see this on postcards, greeting cards, brochures, travel guides, paintings, etc. It is the scene that represents Northland New Zealand. The tree fern may be New Zealand’s national tree, but I think the pohutukawa should hold that title. -Cyndi
(Click on a thumbnail image below for a larger version.)
