The Pohutukawa is known as the New Zealand Christmas tree because it flowers around Christmas time and it has bright red flowers against green foliage.
There are various comments made about the flowering period. It is said that if the Pohutukawa flower early then it means a long, hot summer.
This year the Pohutukawa in my area are flowering abundantly right now. Everywhere I look there are trees bursting with red flowers, while some have a pink toning and yet others flower with yellow flowers. It is the brilliant red ones that are so striking.
Pohutukawa trees grow particularly well in New Zealand, especially near beaches but also in urban gardens, parks and road sides. Our native birds love the nectar in the flowers, the honey bees adore them and I learnt last night that Monarch butterflies feast on these flowers. Nature meets many needs at the same time putting on a magnificent display for us to enjoy.
On Saturday I took some photos of Pohutukawa. I hope you enjoy them.
ordinarygoodness 
Is the first time when I meet this tree:). Greetings from Brasov, Romania!
Hello to you in Brasov Romania. Thank you for commenting on my blog. I hope you enjoyed seeing one of our colourful New Zealand trees:-)
What a pleasure to see these pohutukawas flowering so beautifully. In Auckland, they have all turned to seed and I miss them.
They are certainly putting on a magnificent display in Porirua at the moment. The gales, rain and cold of yesterday have seen lots of the flowers fall to needles. However today’s hot, humid conditions will spur others on to fuller flowerings.
Wow. Beautiful !!!
Thanks Judy. They are a picture at present.
They are really beautiful!
For reasons best known to the trees, they are truly magnificent this year.
I planted one in Los Angeles along the coast five years ago. A freak wind broke the tree in half and the thick stake. One my way to buy another one. My tree had very nice blooms, but nothing like in the above pictures. Please let me know how I can get a lot of blooms.
Carolyn Griswold
I think our young Pohutukawa trees are subject to damage from our high winds too Carolyn. Once established they seem to bloom in their own rhythm. Some years they are magnificent, other years they can be very straggly.
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