West Australian Native Christmas Tree

@JudyEv (341752)
Rockingham, Australia
January 3, 2017 6:48am CST
The photo above is of the beautiful West Australian hemiparasitic plant known locally as the Christmas tree as its bright flowers appear over the Christmas season. The taxonomic name is Nutysia floribunda and it is well known in the south-west of the state. Some stay the size of a shrub but others reach ten metres or so in height. The bark is rough and grey-brown while the vivid yellow-orange flowers appear between October and January. It is a root hemiparasitic plant, attaching its roots to those of nearby plants and obtaining water and nutrients from them. They will even attach themselves to underground cables. It is suited to a variety of soil types but is difficult to cultivate for more than a couple of years. We saw some wonderful specimens while travelling over New Year. As you can see, the flowers are spectacular.
24 people like this
25 responses
ShannyBananny
@shaggin (72184)
• United States
3 Jan 17
I have never heard or seen pictures of this tree before. The blooms are quite pretty.
1 person likes this
ShannyBananny
@shaggin (72184)
• United States
4 Jan 17
@JudyEv It sure is interesting looking! Is that railroad tracks in the background?
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
It makes a lovely 'blot on the landscape' as it is very bright!
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
@shaggin Yes it is. You're very observant! :) The trains don't run any more in this area which is a shame.
rebelann1949
@rebelann (112961)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Jan 17
Someone else posted about these beauties not too long ago but this picture is much more detailed. I wish I could grow one here.
1 person likes this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (112961)
• El Paso, Texas
4 Jan 17
I think it was someone from New Zealand or such @JudyEv forgive me for not remembering who exactly.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
I must have missed that. I wonder who it was? They don't grow under cultivation - not more than a year or two anyway.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
@rebelann I know @valmnz posted about the New Zealand Christmas tree but that is a different tree altogether. I have one of those in the garden just outside the kitchen window.
1 person likes this
Always smiling
@allknowing (137553)
• India
4 Jan 17
Pretty flowers. Sad that the tree does not last for more than 2 years.
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Always smiling
@allknowing (137553)
• India
4 Jan 17
@JudyEv They have nothing in cultivated gardens that they can rob from - it seems to me
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
@allknowing That could be the case.
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
They last much longer in the wild but they don't grow well if you try to cultivate them in a garden.
1 person likes this
AbbyGreenhill
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
3 Jan 17
Very different looking, very nice.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Jan 17
The photo doesn't really do it justice. Here is a better one.
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AbbyGreenhill
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
3 Jan 17
@JudyEv How long do the flowers last?
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
@AbbyGreenhill I guess they last a month or two.
James Higgins
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
4 Jan 17
What an unusual tree that is. I wonder if there are many of those parasitic plants around?
1 person likes this
James Higgins
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
5 Jan 17
@JudyEv I tried to find out how many there are in the US, but quickly found that there are over 4000 known on earth. We have mistletoe too.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jan 17
@JamesHxstatic Our mistletoe seems to be different from the English version. It is a bit hard to tell from the photos.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
There are 70 native varieties of mistletoe in Australia which is also a parasite. Sandalwood also grows off a host plant. So I guess there is quite a few in total.
1 person likes this
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (317249)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
3 Jan 17
It's a beautiful tree. I can see why it's called a hemiparasitic plant if it attaches to other plants for water and nutrients. Good picture of it.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
Thanks. I was a bit disappointed with the photo as it really looked better in real life.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
@just4him It can be disappointing particularly with scenes where you really need 3D to see the hills or gradients.
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Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
3 Jan 17
You would expect this to have a drastic effect on the other trees.
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Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
4 Jan 17
@JudyEv Then I must draw sustenance in a realistic manner.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
You would but I don't think it kills them. Probably stunts their growth a bit.
1 person likes this
katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Jan 17
It's pretty. Not sure I could handle a hot Christmas without the possibility of snow, but I suppose if I were raised in Australia I'd have a different view of Christmas.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
It's all about what we're used to, isn't it? I've never known any other sort of Christmas.
rebel_woman06
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
4 Jan 17
That is a very beautiful Christmas tree indeed . However , it cannot be inside the house though , because it's so big .
1 person likes this
rebel_woman06
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
4 Jan 17
@JudyEv So it should be where it is planted originally , always .
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
You wouldn't cut one of these down for a Christmas tree. At least, I'm sure no-one ever has.
1 person likes this
aubrey
@averygirl72 (37845)
• Philippines
4 Jan 17
Wonderful picture of a tree. Nice to know about it
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
Thanks. I'm glad you liked the photo.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17097)
• New Zealand
4 Jan 17
Nice one Judy, love the golden colour
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
Thanks. It is a beautiful colour.
1 person likes this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25805)
• United States
3 Jan 17
It is a beautiful tree. I find it's method of obtaining water and nutrients fascinating. Does it eventually kill the plant whose roots it is leeching off of?
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
I don't think so. Maybe it depends on the health of the host trees. Some farmers are now planting host trees for sandalwood cultivation as that is a hemiparasite too. Both photosynthesise nutrients as well as feeding off other plants. There are root and stem hemiparasitic plants. I've just read Australia has 70 native varieties of mistletoe.
2 people like this
fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Jan 17
Hemiparasitic is a new word for me, very interesting plant, I love the flowers.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
They make a very bright spot in a paddock or along the road.
1 person likes this
fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
5 Jan 17
@JudyEv I am a nut for orange flowers, so pretty
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Timea
@tzwrites (4835)
• Romania
4 Jan 17
That's a beautiful "christmas tree" and those yellowish orange flowers are so pretty!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jan 17
It is a very bright tree with such pretty flowers.
Belle Starr (Iz)
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
3 Jan 17
It is a very pretty plant and I imagine it is not too popular in areas where it could cause damage to pipes etc.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
Mostly there just seems to be odd ones in paddocks or along roadsides.
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Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
3 Jan 17
It really looks beautiful, I've never heard of it before.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
We would always look for them when we travelled south each Christmas holidays.
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Alfredo Rossi
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
3 Jan 17
Same here this is new to me.Never heard of the name there.Thank you for giving this to us
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
These trees are only found in the bottom corner of Western Australia. Glad you like it.
Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
3 Jan 17
the flowers are quite pretty
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
They look lovely along the road.
1 person likes this
DianneN
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
3 Jan 17
That is amazing that the flowers only appear at Christmas! I love the color, too. I would imagine that it can be destructive to cables and other plants.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
Mostly they are well away from pipes and cables. I haven't read that they do a lot of damage.
Faye
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
3 Jan 17
Wow, it's beautiful. I have never seen anything like it
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 17
Thanks. They are very pretty and a nice start to the Christmas season.