Todays post is all about the pohutukawa.
I thought I would share these photos I took yesterday,
then you can see what my Christmas season looks like.
My snow is red!
Created by the beautiful pohutukawa needles that cover the ground under the trees.
It is summer here, so the photos look a bit hazy as the heat and humidity were extreme causing a visual haze.
The Pohutukawa is a native tree that is known as the New Zealand Christmas tree.
That's because it is flowering during the Christmas holiday season from November to January.
Legend says if it flowers early it will be a long hot summer.
The flowers are bright, bright red...
Very Christmasy don't you think?
The stunning flowers cover the tree.
The trees can grow in the most precarious positions as they have an epiphyte tendency.
You can see this here as there are many on this rocky hillside,
which are just beginning to bloom.
Where I live on the coast of the Eastern Bay of Plenty,
in the North Island of New Zealand, there are thousands (or more) of these beautiful trees, which are from the Myrtle family.
Putting on an awesome summer display, much to the delight of all who enjoy their vibrant display, creating a food source for the nectar-eating birds.
It is thought these trees can live up to 1000 years, and can grow up to 25 metres in height!
Pohutukawa -
The New Zealand Christmas Tree.
Merry Christmas friends.
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