pohutukawa hedge

How fast do pohutukawa trees grow?

In a very fertile environment with good moisture and plenty of room, young pohutukawa grow very quickly (at around 30cm per year in height and 5-10cm in diameter), often having quite a bushy form due to multi stems and vigorous lower stem growth, whereas older trees gain around 10cm in height a year and 2mm in diameter ...

Can I trim my pohutukawa tree?

Undertake any work when the tree is most dormant – i.e. mid winter. However, reducing the size of a pohutukawa is not easy. If you cut large branches back you will precipitate epicormic growth back along the remaining branch which thickens up the within tree foliage.

Do pohutukawa trees grow in Australia?

Mysteriously, the pōhutukawa and its myrtle cousins are no longer found in Australia. They exist all over the South Pacific, from Hawaii, to Papua New Guinea, to the Bonin Islands near Japan, to a number of sub-Antarctic islands. But the trees do not grow Down Under.

Is pohutukawa an evergreen?

Metrosideros excelsa, with common names pohutukawa (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 made up of a mass of ...

Do pohutukawa trees flower every year?

Yes, you will get flowers over months, but you only get a few flowers at any one time and the whole thing about the pohutukawa is that beautiful mass of bloom around Christmas.

What does a pohutukawa symbolize?

The pohutukawa tree is a New Zealand icon with deep spiritual meaning for Māori, connecting the beginning and ending of human life. In Māori mythology, the red fiowers represent the blood of the warrior Tawhaki, a spirit ancestor who showed the way from earth to heaven but fell and died in doing so.

Is it illegal to cut down pohutukawa?

Pōhutukawa are native to New Zealand and in many parts of the country, they may be protected and therefore require special permission to remove – even to simply prune.

What happens if I cut down a tree without permission?

If you intentionally cut someone else's trees without their permission and for the purpose of stealing them, that is a crime. Even if you recklessly cut someone else's trees, that may still be a felony or a misdemeanor depending on the value of the loss to the landowner.

Can I cut the tree in my backyard?

With few exceptions, most cities and counties require that you obtain a permit to remove a tree on your own property. ... Also, the rules may be different depending on how far the tree is from your property line. However, dead trees typically can be removed without a permit.

How old is the oldest pohutukawa?

Age records

Nr	Country	Age
1	New Zealand	1121 ± 100 y
2	Portugal	221 ± 50 y
		221 ± 50 y
		151 y

How old is the pohutukawa tree?

Possibly the most famous pōhutukawa in Maori legend is a small, wind-beaten tree clinging to the cliff face near Cape Reinga. The 800-year-old tree is reputed to guard the entrance to a sacred cave through which disembodied spirits pass on their way to the next world.

What is pohutukawa used for?

Pohutukawa often features on festive greetings cards, poems and stories. As well as a cultural symbol, the species has several practical uses. Its hard strong timber was used for ship-building, and parts of the tree were also used medicinally by the Maori.

How is pohutukawa tree connected to Christmas?

The pohutukawa tree (Metrosideros excelsa) with its crimson flower has become an established part of the New Zealand Christmas tradition. ... Other 19th-century references described the pohutukawa tree as the 'Settlers Christmas tree' and 'Antipodean holly'.

What does a New Zealand Christmas tree look like?

Tree Characteristics

Width: 30 - 35 feet. Leaves Oblong to Ovate, Dark Green, No Change, Evergreen. Flowers Showy. Red.

Is the pohutukawa native to NZ?

Pōhutukawa and rātā are known as New Zealand's native Christmas tree because of the bright red blooms which decorate the trees during the Christmas season. They trigger memories of long summer days spent with friends and family in, on, around and under these magnificent trees.

How do you look after a pohutukawa tree?

To care for your pohutukawa feed it with Tui Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic which will improve the trees overall health and gives frost protection up to about minus 5ºC. Feed the tree with sheep pellets in spring and late summer and make sure it is watered regularly.

Are there pohutukawa in the South Island?

Pohutukawa is a coastal tree that can be found in the wild only on the North Island. ... The rata (also called northern rata) is a common tree that grows throughout the North Island and the top of the South Island (mainly along the west coast down to Greymouth).

Are Totara trees protected?

Currently, there are several species of trees that are protected in Auckland, which include the puriri, Norfolk pine, kauri, totara and pohutukawa. ... The totara, the common name for Podocarpus totara, grows on the North and South Islands in New Zealand but is found nowhere else on earth.

Are Norfolk pines protected in NZ?

The Norfolk Pine tree is on the protected trees list.

How do you find out if trees are protected?

Find out if a tree is protected

Trees may be protected because they are located in a conservation area, or are subject to a tree preservation order (TPO). Check for existing TPOs by going to find your nearest and enter your postcode or contact planning services on (020) 8825 6600 or [email protected].