Metrosideros excelsa

Metrosideros excelsa

Metrosideros excelsa (syn.: Metrosideros tomentosa) is a flowering plant in the myrtle family ( Myrtaceae ). It is also New Zealand Christmas Tree ( would be directly translated the " New Zealand Christmas tree " ) or how many other plant species also known as ironwood tree. The trivial name pohutukawa comes from the Māori.

Description

Metrosideros excelsa grows as evergreen tree that usually reaches stature heights of up to 15 meters. Most large tree crown is round. Single standing still larger specimens form of aerial roots to better support the far ausragende crown.

Metrosideros excelsa A brings a large number of red flowers, rarely, yellow flowers, produced. This covering the whole tree blossoms and the period of full bloom in Südhemisphärensommer between mid-December and mid-January led to the term " Christmas tree ". Depending on the location of the copy but the end of February single flowering trees can be spotted too.

Dissemination

Metrosideros excelsa is primarily found in the coastal regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Both solitaires and entire forests occur.

The Pohutukawa tree in Te Araroa near East Cape is, according to locals the largest in New Zealand, however, very large towering trees and groups of trees in many places on the coast of the North Island can be found.

The variation called " Aurea " with yellow flowers comes from some trees, which was discovered in 1940 on Motiti Iceland in the Bay of Plenty.

Endangering

In New Zealand, Metrosideros excelsa be endangered by the Possumpopulation that were originally imported from Australia to New Zealand for their fur. The possums eat the foliage of the trees, but also destroy the vitality of the trees by the undercutting of the tribe and exposing the roots, so that the trees lose stability.

Terms and mythology

The Pohutukawa was also introduced on the coast of California, where he is now a very popular road and park tree. Appreciate the Friends of the Urban Forest ( " friends of the urban forest " ) from San Francisco that it is the third most planted tree in San Francisco within the last two decades.

The Pohutukawa many legends are connected in the mythology of Māori. So is an old pohutukawa at Cape Reinga then the input for the spirits of the dead on their way to their homeland Hawaiki.