Photo of the week: Kōtukutuku in bloom

Last week marked the official start of spring!

To celebrate today’s photo is of New Zealand’s native kōtukutuku/tree fuchsia blooming in Catchpool Valley near Wellington.

The tree fuchsia is found throughout New Zealand and as far south as the Auckland Islands. The flowers are rich in nectar and are often visited by honey-eating birds such as tūī, bellbirds and silvereyes.

The plant also seems to be a preferred food source for possums and they pose a serious threat to this plant. They will often browse on an individual tree to the point of defoliation, causing the tree to die.

Photo: Brent Tandy.