- Pōhutukawa
taxobox
name = Pōhutukawa
image_caption = Pōhutukawa trees
regnum =Plantae
unranked_divisio =Angiosperm s
unranked_classis =Eudicot s
unranked_ordo =Rosid s
ordo =Myrtales
familia =Myrtaceae
genus = "Metrosideros "
species = "M. excelsa"
binomial = "Metrosideros excelsa"
binomial_authority = Gaertn.
synonyms = "Metrosideros tomentosa"|The Pōhutukawa ("Metrosideros excelsa") is a coastal evergreen
tree of themyrtle family that produces a brilliant display of red flowers made up of a mass ofstamen s. The Pōhutukawa is one of twelve "Metrosideros " species endemic to New Zealand.Description
The tree grows up to twenty
metre s in height, with a dome-like spreading form. Its natural range is the coastal regions of theNorth Island ofNew Zealand , north of a line stretching fromNew Plymouth (39° S) toGisborne (38° S). It also grows on the shores of lakes in theRotorua area. A giant Pōhutukawa atTe Araroa on the East Coast is reputed to be the largest in the country, with a height of 20 metres and a spread of 38 metres.cite web |url=http://www.treesforsurvival.org.nz/resources.cfm |title=Native Plant Information |accessdate=2007-03-13 |publisher=Trees for Survival] The tree is renowned as a cliff-dweller, able to maintain a hold in precarious, near-vertical situations. Some specimens have matted, fibrousaerial root s. Like its Hawaiian relative the okinaŌhiokinaa lehua ("M. polymorpha"), the Pōhutukawa has shown itself to be efficient in the colonisation of lava fields, notably onRangitoto Island , a volcano in Auckland Harbour.Flowers
The Pōhutukawa flowers from November to January with a peak in mid to late December (the
southern hemisphere summer), with brilliant crimson flowers covering the tree, hence the nickname New Zealand Christmas Tree. There is variation between individual trees in the timing of flowering, and in the shade and brightness of the flowers. In isolated populationsgenetic drift has resulted in local variation: many of the trees growing around the Rotorua lakes produce pink-shaded flowers, and the yellow-flowered cultivar "Aurea" descends from a pair discovered in 1940 on Mōtiti Island in theBay of Plenty .Conservation
In New Zealand, the Pōhutukawa is under threat from browsing by the introduced common brushtail possum which strips the tree of its leaves. A charitable conservation trust, Project Crimson, has the aim of reversing the decline of Pōhutukawa and other "Metrosideros" species - its mission statement is "to enable pohutukawa and rata to flourish again in their natural habitat as icons in the hearts and minds of all New Zealanders".
Cultivation
The Pōhutukawa is popular in cultivation, and there are fine examples in most North Island coastal cities. Vigorous and easy to grow, the tree flourishes well south of its natural range, and has naturalised in the Wellington area and in the north of the
South Island . The Pōhutukawa has been introduced to other countries with mild-to-warm climates, including south-eastern Australia and it has naturalised on Norfolk Island. In coastalCalifornia , it is a popular street and lawn tree. In parts of South Africa, the Pōhutukawa grows so well that it is regarded as aninvasive species , it is also naturalising on coastal cliffs in the Sydney Region, Australia. Specimens occur in Spain as north asLa Coruña [cite web | url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/TheBush/NativePlantsAndFungi/NewZealandSpeciesOverseas/2/ | title=New Zealand Plants Overseas] . This tree has withstood temperatures as low as -7.3°C atTresco ,England [cite web | url=http://www.rhs.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/831C8FEF-445C-4FA3-8951-AA257A07F238/0/halfhardytrees.pdf | title=Metrosideros excelsa in England] .ee also
*Northern rātā
*Southern rātā
*Bartlett's rātāNotes
References
*
*
* Simpson, P., 2005. "Pōhutukawa & Rātā: New Zealand's Iron-Hearted Trees". Wellington: Te Papa Press.
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