Pōhutukawa Cordial Recipe

Pōhutukawa Cordial

The iconic, stunning Pōhutukawa tree is known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree because of the bright red blooms, which decorate the trees during the Christmas season.

It is a sacred tree, for it is from the ancient trees on the cliffs at Te Reinga, where the spirits of the dead left this land. Legend tells us that the red of the flowers comes from the blood of the mythical hero Tawhaki, who fell to his death from the sky.

Medicinal Uses: Like many other native plants, Pōhutukawa also has medicinal uses. In traditional Māori herbal medicine, Pohutukawa was used topically for wounds and abrasions.
The inner bark can be used as an infusion to treat diarrhoea, chewed to cure thrush, steeped in water as a mouthwash, or tied against wounds to stop bleeding.

Māori used to collect the nectar as a sweetener for food, and they sucked the nectar through a straw made from a reed to ease the pain of a sore throat.
The extract from the flowers of the Pōhutukawa is conditioning, deeply moisturising, antioxidant-packed and antiseptic. It also promotes cell regeneration and soft, youthful skin.

Emotionally/Spiritually: Pōhutukawa is helpful for connection to Nature, self-awareness; self-assertion; power used with wisdom; personal will and strong sense of self. (First Light Essences NZ make a beautiful remedy for this)

To harvest Pōhutukawa flowers, wait until you see plenty of fallen blooms around the base of the tree, or harvest those flowers that are about to fall. As with any harvest, only take what you need and leave plenty ♥