And why do you like it so much?
I don’t think its very common in the US but The pōhutukawa tree
The pōhutukawa tree is a special part of New Zealand culture, often called the “New Zealand Christmas tree” because of its bright red flowers that bloom in December. It’s seen as a symbol of strength and resilience, especially since it grows along rugged coastlines. For Māori, it has deep spiritual meaning—there’s even an ancient pōhutukawa at Cape Reinga where spirits are believed to begin their journey to the afterlife. Plus, it’s great for the environment, providing food and shelter for native birds and insects.
I’ve got three and I’ve been trying to grow each from seed:
- Dawn Redwood because it has an incredible backstory, it is a true redwood contrary to popular belief, and It easily grows where I’m at.
- Giant Sequoia because they are massive, it is also a true redwood, and it can allegedly grow where I’m at.
- Cedar of Lebanon because I grew up in one of the many U.S. towns of Lebanon named for the trees as referenced in that religious book and I remember the original Cedar of Lebanon referenced in that story I linked.
Unfortunately, I can’t get the Giant Sequoias past a few inches tall while even acknowledging their infamous 20% germination rate. The Cedar of Lebanon seeds I can’t even get to germinate but I also haven’t found as much academic literature on cultivating them from seeds.
Shoutout to the Ginkgo Biloba for being one of the OG trees, also.
Balanced binary tree
Real answer: Japanese maple and willows
So anyway, I love those dark maples with the leaves that are so blue they’re almost black in certain light. I call them goth maples.
Picture:
Oh wow it’s about as close as you can get
Japanese Maple. Had one by the front door of the house I grew up in. Reminds me of my childhood home.
Oh the colors
I used to live in a rickety flat that had a single old creaky staircase to get up to the front door, and a little grassy terrace area. Only I really ever used the grassy bit. The stairs had a pohutakawa tree growing essentially right through them, making walking up or down them hazardous. Especially when drunk.
I would not classify that period of my life to be “happy” by any stretch, but that tree signified being “home.” It was like the guardian to my space. A physical barrier between me and the shitshow that was the rest of the world at that time. An almost literal gatekeeper (many people were too scared to walk up the stairs lol)
Added bonus, year end holidays, and the height of summer were vividly and brightly different thanks to the red needles they drop everywhere around that time.
It wasn’t until the landlord told me he was planning to have it cut down, and I had an almost physical reaction that I realized how much I loved that tree. I managed to convince him not to have it cut down until after I’d left.
Both the tree and the flat are now gone. A multi million dollar new build is there now.
I’ve read 500 page novels that have touched me less than these 5 paragraphs.
Thank you for sharing this story.
Both the tree and the flat are now gone. A multi million dollar new build is there now.
SO PISSED AT THIS. God the company men…
So am I honestly, but to be fair, that place was a dump.
The foundations were subsiding, so the whole flat was on a pretty significant lean. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was easily 5 degrees off level. Think Lilly and Marshall’s apartment in HIMYM.
The building itself was 3 stories. I was on 2nd, and the 3rd was completely uninhabitable due to the roof being swiss cheese. I knew I was about to get kicked out when the ceiling started leaking in my bedroom whenever it rained.
I could go on and on. The electrics were sketchy, my toilet leaked into the downstairs kitchen, etc etc etc. It really was trash, and would have probably cost millions to repair.
The tree itself was causing structural issues as well. It’s hard to explain, so I’ve attached an aerial view. (You might need to view it on my instance.) The grey line was a concrete retaining wall for the grassy terrace thing. You can see that the tree was right up against the house, further damaging it. I’ve also tried to illustrate what it was doing to the stairs so you can get an idea of what it was like.
All in all, I understand why it had to go, but it still makes me sad. And not just because the flat was so cheap I could afford to live by myself in my 20s, 5 minutes from the CBD
Willows. They feel so incredibly relaxed, like they just don’t give a shit.
Bending in the wind like a ballerina
Birch! They’re just so beautiful!
Plus birch beer is awesome
People used to make all kinds of stuff from the bark, too
And from the wood. It’s a hardwood but it’s often used where softwoods would be. Baltic birch plywood is some excellent stuff.
Weeping willow trees. We had one at my childhood home. When it was sold, the new owners tore it out. I was very sad.
Don’t worry, it’s back. Those things refuse to die.
I am fairly certain there are no trees on the property anymore. I don’t know what they had against trees, but they tore out everything!
Everything about the Gingko tree is pretty cool
It really is a cool tree, but man, having to walk near fallen gingko nuts every day during the autumn is kind of torture.
Weeping Willow!
Love me a magnolia tree
The walnut tree. Its leaves are dense so it casts a cohesive shadow, perfect for shelter from the sun. I LOVE how it smells, especially when developing walnuts, and green walnuts are entirely unique in how they taste!
That shade
Redbud. It’s got such pretty blossoms and the leaves are a really pleasing shape.
It’s the State tree of Oklahoma. When my neighbors’ redbud starts making pods, I’m gonna snag a bunch, refrigerate them over winter, then scarify and try to get a few to germinate the following spring. It takes probably 5 or so years to start getting flowers, but I really love everything about these trees, not just their awesome flowers. The heart shaped leaves they develop in summer are so cute.
