A Kiwi summer Christmas in flowers

Pōhutukawa, New Zealand's Christmas tree

The Department of Conservation says the blazing red flowers of pōhutukawa around Christmas time have earned it the title of New Zealand's Christmas tree. Te Aka Māori Dictionary describes the trees as found in coastal areas, bearing large red flowers about Christmas time. By early December the trees are bright red, and RNZ notes that fallen stamens can make a red carpet beneath them by Christmas.

• Where it grows: mainland pōhutukawa occurs naturally in the upper half of the North Island, north of New Plymouth and Gisborne. Communities such as Beachlands, on Auckland's Pōhutukawa Coast, even carry its name.
• Flowering: mainly November and December, sometimes from August and into March.
• Status: the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network lists it as Not Threatened (2023). In 2017 it was rated Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable, and in Auckland's 2025 regional assessment it is Regionally At Risk – Regionally Declining.
• A threat to watch: DOC warns that pōhutukawa and rātā are under potential threat from myrtle rust, a fungal disease now established in New Zealand.

DOC also records the story of Te Rerenga Wairua at Cape Reinga, where the spirits of the dead are said to slide down a root of an ancient pōhutukawa into the sea on their way to the next world.

Rātā and the other red of summer

Rātā are close relatives of the pōhutukawa. DOC counts ten species (three trees, one shrub and six climbers), with brilliant red flowers from November to January, depending on location. Northern rātā is now rated At Risk – Declining (2023), while southern rātā is common on Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Auckland Islands.

Native flowers such as pōhutukawa and rātā are not sold as bouquet stock, so you won't find them in a florist's bucket. What you can do is borrow their palette. A bouquet in deep reds with fresh green foliage says "Kiwi Christmas" without needing a single native stem. Our native flowers guide has more on each species.

Summer flowers that suit a December bouquet

• Peonies (early December). RNZ reports that New Zealand's peony season usually starts in the last week of November, peaks for only two or three days and lasts about three weeks. Growers are spread through the South Island and the bottom of the North Island. If you love peonies, the first half of December is your window.
• Hydrangeas. A summer flower in New Zealand: in February 2024 hydrangeas were the country's most popular export flower.
• Roses. Many public rose gardens are at their best in summer. In Rotorua, the Klamath Falls Rose Gardens bloom from mid-November to June.

Christmas lights are part of summer too. In New Plymouth the Festival of Lights in Pukekura Park runs from 19 December 2026 to 24 January 2027, and Cambridge holds a Christmas Festival with a town parade in December.

Holiday dates that affect delivery

Christmas Day and Boxing Day are public holidays, and when they fall on a weekend they are observed on the following weekdays. Weekend and public-holiday delivery is limited in many areas, so plan around these dates:

• 2026: Christmas Day is Friday 25 December; Boxing Day is Saturday 26 December, observed on Monday 28 December.
• 2027: Christmas Day is Saturday 25 December (observed Monday 27 December); Boxing Day is Sunday 26 December (observed Tuesday 28 December).
• 2028: Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 December (calculated; the official 2028 list was not yet out when we checked).

In 2026 the last weekday before Christmas is Thursday 24 December, and in 2027 it is Friday 24 December. Order several days ahead, and early in the day. Rural addresses with an RD number can take longer.

Lilies, cats and hot days

White lilies often appear in festive arrangements. SPCA New Zealand names lilies as a cause of sudden kidney failure in pets, and the ASPCA notes that even lily pollen alone has caused kidney injury in cats. If the household has a cat, ask for a lily-free bouquet. Our pet-safe flowers guide lists safer choices.

Heat is the other enemy. Research on roses shows that higher temperatures speed up respiration and ageing, so a bouquet left in a hot car or on a sunny doorstep will fade fast. Put the flowers in water as soon as they arrive and keep them in the coolest room. More tips are in our summer flower care guide.