Sorry for the belated Friday flowers publication.
Our Pohutukawa tree (aka the New Zealand Christmas tree) is just starting to bloom so I’ve been on the look out for a nice one to show you. The Pohutukawa grows along the west coast so when I took Bonnie for a walk at the beach today I looked out for a tree in good bloom to show you. Unfortunately I didn’t end up with a good shot so I’m sharing a professional pic by photographer David Wall. 
The Pohutukawa tree grows up to a about 25 metres high and 15 meters wide. It’s a gnarly tree with twisting branches that often reach out rather than up and their low boughs can provide an excellent place to lie in the shade for a nap after a summer swim and barbecue.
I’ll repost a of photo of Pohutukawa that I took earlier this year in winter before they were blooming so you can see the shape I’m talking about. I took this shot on Great Barrier island in August. They’d be looking awesome right now covered in red blooms. 
Wow! What beautiful blooms! And the trees themselves? They look like they're reaching out to the sea...leaning that way! Maybe the blooms get something from the moisture of the water below them....
ReplyDeleteI love the interesting (and totally different) foliage you have there, Lou!
Yeah they are great Kathryn and I am loving spring though the weather is still very unsettled. That's the big down side of living on a small island, our weather is very changable.
ReplyDeletethose really are pretty blossoms... they remind me of my favorite "bottle brush" plant.
ReplyDeleteSuch a glorious tree - thanks for the reminder. I have a lovely picture we bought in NZ in our tv room. Must remember to look at it more often.
ReplyDeleteIt is a stunning tree Lou. The fiery blossoms are wildly fun. Thanks for the weekly glimpse of the beauty you have there. It is a real treat!
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