Mastodawn

Some pohutukawas here in #doubtlessbay are flowering again at the moment. Nice. #photography #aotearoa #pohutukawa

NZ's flower expert Phil Garnock-Jones has an article in The Conversation on some of NZ's distinctive native plants that flower around Christmas time.

"Pōhutukawa flowers reflect strongly in both the red and ultraviolet wavelengths, but they absorb most of the blue and green wavelengths also found in sunlight. This is a pattern characteristic of bird-pollinated flowers, as is the fact that the flowers have no scent but produce a lot of nectar. Pōhutukawa flowers are also visited and pollinated by pekapeka, native short-tailed bats."

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/582692/most-of-nz-s-flowering-plants-grow-nowhere-else-and-christmas-falls-in-peak-blooming-season

#flowers #botany #nz #pohutukawa #TheConversation

Most of NZ’s flowering plants grow nowhere else – and Christmas falls in peak blooming season

Christmas falls in peak flowering season, a time of rebirth and reprodction more akin to the northern Easter.

RNZ

@iveyline Dec 22

The late flowering pohutukawas are right on time for Christmas. This one by the Mill Bay boat ramp. #photography #aotearoa #doubtlessbay #pohutukawa

.morris Dec 19

Red carpet #pōhutukawa.
Typical welly summers day. Cold, grey, but with this bit of #bloomscrolling glory.

@iveyline Dec 11

Pohutukawas highlighting a small bridge over a stream in Mill Bay, Mangonui, yesterday. #photography #aotearoa #doubtlessbay #pohutukawa

A Matt with a Dog Dec 11

In New Zealand/Aotearoa, Christmas is a warm time of year (we’re in the lower latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere), so the traditional snowy scenes don’t resonate. We make up for that by having our very own Christmas tree, the Pōhutukawa, which blooms at this time of year with bright red festive-looking flowers. #Christmas #Aotearoa #Pōhutukawa

@iveyline Dec 9

Lilac jacaranda on one side and scarlet pohutukawa on the other. Mary Hassett street in Mangonui yesterday. #photography #aotearoa #doubtlessbay #pohutukawa