Guide Linley’s plant of the month for December

In December, the West Australian Christmas Tree or Nuytsia floribunda is in full flower, its spectacular golden orange blossoms contrasting vividly against our blue summer skies. It is a notable feature throughout the Southwest, from Kalbarri to Cape Arid, and flowers from November to January.

Botanically, Nuytsia floribunda is most unusual. It is the world’s largest parasitic plant, growing 8-10m high, and belongs to the mistletoe family, Loranthacae. Unlike other mistletoes that attach to their host’s branches, Nuytsia is a root parasite that derives some of its water and nutrients by its roots clamping onto roots of nearby plants, or sometimes plants up to 150m away. It is indiscriminate, parasitising the roots of many species including annuals and grasses and even clamping on to underground cables and plastic pipes.

Nuytsia is classified as a hemiparasite, has photosynthetic leaves and produces seeds. Seedlings grow very slowly taking seven to ten years before flowering.  Roots and rhizomes can sucker producing what appears to be a grove of trees around the parent tree.  Its trunk consists of grey bark enclosing concentric layers of fibrous tissue rather than true wood. This helps it withstand fire and the trees flower profusely after fire.

This amazing parasitic tree has great cultural significance to First Nations people. Noongar people around Perth regard the trees as sacred, where the spirits of the newly dead rest. In other areas it was used as a significant food source and the sweet drink made from soaking the flowers in water was called “Moodjar” The flowering of the tree was also a sign that it was time to move to the coast

Nuytsia was first recorded in January 1627 by Dutch maritime explorers off the south coast. The first specimens were collected by the French in 1792.  In 1802 Robert Brown, on board Matthew Flinders’ Investigator, named the species Nuytsia floribunda after Pieter Nuyts, the highest ranking officer on the 17th century Dutch ship.

In Kings Park there is a mature Nuytsia in the Stirling Range garden, another in May Drive Parkland, near Zamia café. There are two juvenile plants in the roundabout below Fraser’s Restaurant. Join one of our free guided walks this summer to view the tree, or Guides in the Visitor Information Centre will be happy to provide directions.