A week of flowers 2022, Day seven

Cathy’s Words and Herbs’ challenge for one week.

When I visited New Zealand for the first time in December 2007,

I fell in love with the Pohutukawa tree. I know its not a flower, but this tree bears red flowers!

It will always remind me of Christmas!

Pohutukawa tree

Metrosideros excelsa, commonly known as pōhutukawa (Māori: pōhutukawa), New Zealand Christmas tree, New Zealand Christmas bush, and iron tree,  is a coastal evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that produces a brilliant display of red (or occasionally orange, yellow  or white flowers, each consisting of a mass of stamens. The pōhutukawa is one of twelve Metrosideros species endemic to New Zealand.

Pohutukawa tree, New Zealand

Renowned for its vibrant colour and its ability to survive even perched on rocky, precarious cliffs, it has found an important place in New Zealand culture for its strength and beauty, and is regarded as a chiefly tree (rākau rangatira) by Māori.

Pohutukawa