Thursday, January 1, 2009

Pohutakawa

An Internet friend from a forum I belong to, lives in New Zealand. Kerry had a bunch of this fabulously bright and Christmasy flower in her sitting room over Christmas. When she showed us the photograph of her vase, I just had to investigate more. Such a wonderful colour, so festive. Thank you Kerry. In New Zealand people look forward to the flowering of the pohutakawa, Metrosideros excelsa, which is popularly known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree. Pohutukawa [pronounced po-hootah-kahwah] is a coastal tree often growing with its roots clinging on to the rocky sides of cliffs or where the land begins and the beach sand ends. The flowers are often featured on New Zealand-produced Christmas cards.


4 comments:

Julie said...

Oh, Sally...this is so beautiful! So full of red blooms!

At first glance I thought it might be a Bottle Brush Tree, which you can see HERE, but I see it is WAY different!

We have the Bottle Brush living here in south Florida, but not your beautiful tree! Our trees are scrawny in comparison!!!

Happy New Year, Sally!

Anonymous said...

If I lived down under, I would require one.

Helen/patientgardener said...

That plant looks amazing.

Lona said...

Wow, what can one say. Just gorgeous blooms.