Nuytsia spp.

western Australian christmas tree

Loranthaceae South-west Western Australia

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Nuytsia spp. is a genus of the showy mistletoe family (Loranthaceae) with a single species, Nuytsia floribunda, the Western Australian Christmas tree or moodjar, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Unusually for its family, it grows as a free-standing tree 5-10 m (16-33 ft) tall rather than a perched mistletoe, with rough grey bark and narrow, dull blue-green leaves. Despite its size it is a root hemiparasite: its roots spread widely and attach to the roots of surrounding grasses, shrubs, and trees by sucker-like haustoria, drawing water and minerals while still making its own sugars. In early to midsummer, around December and January, the whole crown turns a mass of bright orange to golden-yellow flowers in large branched sprays, giving the Christmas-tree name. Winged, three-angled fruits follow. The tree holds deep cultural meaning for the Noongar people of the region. Its haustoria can clamp onto buried cables and irrigation lines, mistaking them for roots. The species is slow to establish and hard to cultivate because of its parasitic root habit.

Native Range

Nuytsia floribunda is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia, from around Geraldton south to the coast and east toward the Esperance region. It grows in sandy soils of heath, woodland, and open forest, often in seasonally moist sites. The single species occurs nowhere else in the world.

Suggested Uses

Grown mainly in native and habitat plantings and revegetation within its south-west Australian range, where host plants are present, spaced well apart. The midsummer flowers are a major nectar source for birds and insects. It has limited use as a cultivated garden tree because of its parasitic root habit.

How to Identify

Look for a small, free-standing tree of south-west Western Australian sandplains with rough grey bark and narrow, dull blue-green leaves. In midsummer the crown is unmistakable, smothered in branched sprays of bright orange to golden flowers. The combination of a tree habit with mistletoe-type flowers and three-winged fruits identifies Nuytsia spp..

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height16' - 33'

Width/Spread10' - 20'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~5 weeks

Summer

Flowering peaks in early to midsummer, around December and January in Western Australia, when the crown fills with bright orange-gold flower sprays. The display lasts several weeks and draws many nectar-feeding birds and insects. Winged fruits develop afterwards.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Orange to golden-yellow

Foliage Description

Dull blue-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

10+ years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Nuytsia spp. grows in full sun on deep, free-draining sandy soils in a Mediterranean climate of wet winters and dry summers, broadly USDA zones 9 to 11. As a root hemiparasite it needs nearby host plants for its roots to attach to, and it grows poorly in isolation. The species is slow and unreliable to establish from seed and resents transplanting once its root system forms. It tolerates summer drought and poor, sandy ground but fails in heavy, wet, or fertile soils. Cultivation outside its native region rarely succeeds because of the host requirement.

Pruning

Little pruning is undertaken, as the tree forms its shape naturally and resents disturbance. Dead or damaged wood can be removed in the dry season. The brittle branches and parasitic roots make heavy intervention unwise.