Homeowners and Tree Advocates Battle Over New Zealand Christmas Trees

You'll likely recognize this species of tree, with the pretty, fuzzy red flowers, of which there are apparently almost 5,000 across the city. It's called a New Zealand Christmas tree, or Metrosideros excelsus, and despite being widely planted in the 1980s and endorsed by the City, it's now been recognized as a mistake and a bit of a nuisance species. This is because its roots -- which can grow to 9 inches in diameter -- can destroy infrastructure like sewer pipes and sidewalks once the tree reaches maturity, which these trees are doing by the thousands right about now here in S.F.

Still, homeowners face a battle from advocates like the Department of Urban Forestry who, despite acknowledging that the tree was a mistake and shouldn't be planted anymore, still defend the presence of mature trees in general and are basically telling property owners to suck it up.