Hi Wanda,

Native Christmas Tree is called Nuytsia floribunda but doesn't sound like
what you describe. NZ Christmas Tree is called Metrosideros excelsa is messy
grows big and generally has become a pest in some places. Yet I don't think
it is that either.

Don't have many Australian trees which are deciduous.

The plane tree has flowers on it before it gets leaves I wonder if it is
that.

Anyway something to look into.

Cheers

Richard



Willow wrote in message
...
Hi

I've been thinking of planting a tree or two similar to a couple of trees
that grow accross the road from where I work. I've been told that they're
Australian Native Christmas trees, however they don't look anything like
the
pictures I've seen. The trees near work are about 5 metres high, deciduous
with red/orange flowers with a black center. They're large & are in
full-flower before the leaves begin to form. The leaves are fairly broad &
although the tree has a fairly dense habit, it still allows some filtered
light through. I hope that's descriptive enough.


--
Wanda
aka Willow
The missing and definitely not to be taken seriously under any
circumstances
garden gnome
http://www.2000cn.com.au/~willow

~~faeries are able to fly because they take themselves lightly~