New Zealand’s national tree’s preference for oceanside locations is reflected in its Polynesian name: Pohutukawa (‘sprinkled by spray’). Its other name refers to the midsummer ...

Q:In 1988, we planted two New Zealand Christmas trees (Metrosideros excelsa) in front of our house. Over the years the trees have become quite large. We are thinking of having them pruned but we ...

But one has become an iconic San Francisco street tree: the New Zealand Christmas tree, Metrosideros excelsa, pohutukawa to the Maori, with its red bottlebrush flowers and beards of aerial roots.