The weather has been up and down like the proverbial yo-yo. Monday, it was a mere 10degrees, Tuesday was similar as was yesterday. Brrrr! Most unseasonal.
Today however, it has felt more like summer. A maximum of 22degrees and even some sunshine. Enough at least to set the pollinating flies and bees buzzing around these cabbage tree flowers.
Cabbage trees (Cordyline australis) are common in the landscape. They can often be found by streamsides and in farmland, preferring open sunny situations. They are frequently culitvated in gardens. Their leaves, however, do not rot down in the regular compost heap - I have a heap of branches and cabbage leaves in an unseen corner of the garden which remain undisturbed, to rot, eventually (I'm talking years here). But if I can be bothered I sometimes get a bundle of three or four fold them and tie them up with another leaf to provide good firelighters in the winter. A friend of mine uses the leaves to tie up his rubbish bags for the council to collect, but I think he has more leaves than he can use in this way.
They are the so-called 'palm' trees found growing in Torquay (UK). Once mature they are frost hardy,they have to be to grow this far south, even though Dunedin frosts are not as severe or last as long as UK ones.