Late December through January the pohutukawa trees are in full bloom and, some years in particular, they look brilliant. These shots of the pohutukawa (some might even be rata - I'm no expert) give some idea of the "blaze of red" which can be experienced along the sides of certain roads in Tawa (and the nearby region) at this time of the year. It's only when they show their true colours that you appreciate how many pohutukawa trees there actually are around the place.