Also known as New Zealand Christmas Tree or Fire Tree, the Maori named Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa, synonym Metrosideros tomentosa) is an evergreen tree of the myrtle family that produces flowers made up of a mass of red stamens (sometimes yellow). It grows in coastal regions of the North Island of New Zealand.
Pohutukawa grow to around fifteen metres, with a fairly large round canopy. They flower in late December (the southern hemisphere summer), with a brilliant crimson flower covering the canopy, hence their nickname.
The giant pohutukawa in Te Araroa on the East Coast is reputed to be the largest in the country, but fine examples can be found in just about any North Island coastal city.
The variety "Aurea", which has yellow flowers, is descended from a pair discovered in 1940 on Motiti Island in the Bay of Plenty.
Pohutukawa are under threat due to browsing by the introduced common brushtail possum.
Pohutukawa was introduced to coastal California, where it is a popular street and lawn tree; San Francisco's Friends of the Urban Forest estimates that it is the third-most-commonly planted street tree in San Francisco over the last two decades.
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