Unusual Trees of Aotearoa - cauliflory and ramiflory

My recent blogpost about kohekohe trees got a lot of interest, with people particularly curious about cauliflory.

Flowering kohekohe trees

caulifory describes trees that flower from the trunk and major branches rather than the more common flowering from the tips of branches among the leaves

Autumn Nature Walk - a splendid kohekohe year

Kohekohe flowers

Cascades of blooms signal a splendid flowering year for the kohekohe. It's time to get out into our lowland coastal forests and enjoy the flowers and marvel at their abundance. They are already flowering now and should go on flowering through into June.

The Escarpment Walkway - a new challenge on Te Araroa

Local walkers are out in their hundreds walking the new escarpment track between Paekakariki and Pukerua Bay, which is great news for Paekakariki cafes and the shops in Pukerua Bay. The new track allows Te Araroa walkers (people walking the length of New Zealand) to avoid a long pavement walk alongside busy traffic on Centennial Highway. Instead they climb many, many steps up to about 220m and walk above the traffic and railway line. The views from the track on a good day, are stunning, with the South Island off to the distance and Kapiti Island much closer. Bits of Te Araroa are popular day walks and this will surely become one that many (but not all - see below under vertigo!) Wellington walkers will enjoy.

Wellington's flowering kohekohe trees

Kohekohe flowers

 The kohekohe is an unusual flowering tree. Maybe you can spot something unusual about the flowers.