The kotukutuku/fuschia have been flowering for a few weeks, they are beautiful, so colourful, and I've seen the occassional green fruit starting form, but here at the Glory Track entrance this tree has streaked ahead and has ripe fruit already! Maori call these konini and they are edible though not filling and I've heard many people say they used to make jam but I've never had the desire to pick enough.
The flowers are captivating each seems a little different, some have bright yellow pollen tips, others have electric blue. My camera doesn't do them justice, you'll have to check them out yourself! The young flowers have a purple/blue hue and they turn red as they mature and eventually fall to the ground.
Kotukutuku are one of possum's favourite foods and since we've had a thriving population on the hill for many years the fuschia's have been hammered, many were browsed to death but those that are left have had a couple of years with enough protection that they are again thriving and their new growth is so encouraging, to not see it munched!
I did a quick google search to see if there was a reason for the flower difference and found this:
I whea koe I te tahuritanga o te rau o te kotukutuku
Where were you when the leaves of the Fuchsia tree (Fuchsia excorticata) began to grow in the spring? A reproach against those who were no where to be found when the work was to be done in planting season, but who may appear at the time of harvest.
That sounds familiar:
The more you look the more you find and whilst giving a different fuschia a goog looking over I saw a white foam deposited on the underside of a leaf, have absolutely not idea what that is?! Sometimes I wish there was a pocket Lloyd Esler or a pocket Brian/Chris Rance to take with me when I'm out and about. I do have a pocket Hugh Wilson and that's very handy!
No comments:
Post a Comment