pōhutukawa the Christmas tree of the northern coast

Size
Height: 1.5–2.5 m
Lifespan
500–1000 years
Diet
Produces masses of brilliant red flowers in summer rich in nectar. Attracts tūī, bellbirds, kākā, and geckos. Flowers followed by small, dry seed capsules releasing fluffy seeds.
Habitat
Coastal specialist. Naturally found from Three Kings Islands down to Poverty Bay and Taranaki. Masters of cliffs, growing directly out of vertical volcanic bluffs.
Range
New Zealand - naturally found from Three Kings Islands down to Poverty Bay and Taranaki. Most common on coastal cliffs and sandy beaches in Northland and Auckland.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
Possum browsing is primary threat. Possums find new buds and young leaves delicious. Heavy browsing can kill trees. Also threatened by myrtle rust fungus and habitat loss.
Population
Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable. While they seem everywhere, they are under heavy attack from possums and invasive myrtle rust fungus requiring community protection.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
native broadleaf tree, safe to handle
Te Ao Māori
In Māori tradition, Pōhutukawa is tree of deep spiritual transition and endurance. Most famous individual is ancient, wind-swept tree at Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga). Legend says spirits of dead leap from its roots into ocean to begin journey back to ancestral homeland of Hawaiki. Name translates roughly to "splashed by the spray". Crimson flowers seen as blood of warrior Tāwhaki.
It is not straight. Pōhutukawa is contortionist of New Zealand forest. Unlike vertical pillars of kauri or kahikatea, it grows in chaotic, sprawling, multi-trunked fashion. Built like massive, organic anchor. Most striking physical feature is aerial roots. Reddish-brown, hairy bundles hanging from heavy branches like beard. Roots reach down toward ground or cliff face. Once they touch surface, they thicken into solid wood. Providing extra struts and guy-wires. Allow tree to hang horizontally over ocean without toppling. Unique scaffolding allows Pōhutukawa to colonise sheer rock faces. Where no other tree could find foothold. Primary architect of New Zealand coastal aesthetic. Biologically, Pōhutukawa is tough-as-nails survivor. Leaves are thick, leathery, and oval-shaped. Distinctive white, felt-like underside. Hairy coating is sophisticated defence mechanism. Traps moisture. Protects leaf from drying effects of salt spray and harsh Southern sun. Real show-stopper is inflorescence. In December, tree erupts in fireworks display of brilliant crimson stamens. Not traditional petals. Long, delicate filaments designed to be brushed against by heads of tūī, bellbirds, and stitchbirds. As birds dive deep into flower to drink high-energy nectar, they get covered in pollen. Acting as tree's primary couriers across coastline. Wood of Pōhutukawa is famously dense, heavy, and twisted. So strong that early shipbuilders used natural crooks and knees of branches to form ribs of wooden boats. However, this strength is currently being tested by possum. Because Pōhutukawa puts so much energy into summer growth, new shoots are tender and sweet. Single possum can ring-bark and kill century-old giant in just few seasons by systematically stripping canopy. In places like Coromandel and Northland, massive community efforts are now required to keep these "Kings of the Coast" alive. To sit under Pōhutukawa on 30°C day is to find ultimate sanctuary. Tree that has spent centuries learning how to turn salt, rock, and sun into most beautiful red canopy on Earth. Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable. Under heavy attack from possums and invasive myrtle rust fungus. Massive community efforts required to keep these Kings of the Coast alive. No one told it otherwise.