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Christmas Cheer from NZ


Christmas Cheer from NZ
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1076 W: 64 N: 1302] (4153)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-12-06
Categories: Nature
Camera: sony cybershot dsc p8
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/320 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2004-12-21 15:43
Viewed: 1766
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The New Zealand Christmas Tree - Pohutukawa – Po-hoo-too-car-wa (Metrosideros excelsa)

I was asked to post a close-up photo of the blossoms of this tree. So here they are - please enjoy. . .

It is a beautiful tree — covered with shiny leaves, darker green on top as they age, silvery-grey underneath. Every December, the start of summer here at the bottom of the world, Pohutukawa Trees burst out in vibrant, star-burst-shaped red flowers. So they are also known by the name of the New Zealand Christmas Tree. The flower clusters appear on the ends of branchlets, with many brilliant red stamens, like a soft brush, tipped with yellow anthers. Birds love the flowers as they are full of nectar. The scent is very soft and sweet. When the stamens fall they form a soft red carpet under the tree.

Pohutukawa flowers appear to be composed only of stamens, giving them their distinctive brush-like look. The petals are small and hairy-backed, the most conspicuous part of the flower being the crimson-stalked stamens which may reach 5cm in length. Each ring of stamens surrounds a calyx funnel filled to overflowing with viscous nectar that is much sought after by honeybees and birds. Flowers appear in December and January and whitish seed capsules follow the flowers and open around May to release multitudes of thin, brown seeds which ripen by the following spring.

The blooms open up on the trees at different times and it means that the flowering season can last quite a while. This year is a very windy year, so unfortunately once the plants stop flowering the flowers will drop their needle-like stamens quite quickly, colouring the ground beneath them with this lovely red haze.

Pohutukawa belongs to the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) which is made up of about 3000 different tropical and warm temperate trees, shrubs and vines. Eucalyptus, feijoas, rata, cloves, guavas and bottlebrushes are a few family members. There are two native pohutukawa (mainland and Kermadec).
Jeppe, oochappan, adind, tonyking has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Nina: PohutukawaJanice 1 05-05 21:17
To adind: Thank you AtisJanice 1 02-05 15:13
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Jeppe Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4587 W: 393 N: 4175] (18494)
  • [2004-12-21 18:10]

And a Merry Chistmas to you Janice

A very fine view of this tree/flower unknown for me - thanks for sharing this photo and the note to explain - fine job.

Nb a little sharpen process would have made the photo even better - but I like it even ;-)

Thanks Janice,
I like the macro-shot of this flower to get a good impression and your note is quite informative.
A Mery Christmas time to you too ..
Henk

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 77 W: 0 N: 160] (1613)
  • [2005-01-04 5:19]

Great Janice and thanks for close-up! Beautiful flower very well captured.

  • Great 
  • adind Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 230 W: 52 N: 113] (738)
  • [2005-02-05 7:18]
  • [+]

like the beautiful flower and the red colour ..it is very warm...

best,
atis

Hi Janice,
This is a great pic of our 'Christmas tree'. It's so nice to see the pohutukawa around our coasts: they're such beautiful trees.
You've captured the colours and detail extremely well in this nicely composed shot.
Excellent.

Hugs,
Tony

An excellent close up of these flowers, with super sharp details and superb color tones and exposure...
Very nice job! Thanks for the details.
Regards
Carmel Malta

  • Great 
  • Nina Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 827 W: 296 N: 100] (4515)
  • [2007-05-05 15:54]
  • [+]

Aaaah! Pohutukawa Tree flower! Sadly although I have visited your beautiful countru a couple of times now, I never went in summer so I missed the treat of seenig the pohutukawa trees in blossom. Mind you they are prety amazing looking trees even without flowers, specially near the coast where theyir sinewy shapes usualy get me to grab for my camera. Thank you for posting this one Janice. Do you have any of the whole tree in blossom?

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