Dr Seuss trees

This Dr Seuss tree (official name: mountain neinei, scientific name: Dracophyllum traversii) has tangled, twisted branches, as though its unsure just what direction it should grow in. The wild-haired clusters of leaves terminating each branch are typical of the mountain neinei, and the small cluster lower down on the tree has quite reddish leaves, which seems to be the colour assumed by younger trees. As you can see from the orange leaves all over the ground, the mountain neinei gives the cabbage tree a good run for its money in terms of making a leafy mess. In the summer, the mountain neinei grows spiky, conical flowers, which give the tree its other name, the pineapple tree. In low cloud, walking through a grove of these tufted, twisted trees can be an eerie experience, especially when the misty quiet is broken by the heckling call of an unseen kea. Mountain neinei grow at high altitude, towards the bush line, which on Mt Arthur is kea country.