At 1221 Stanyan is a New Zealand Christmas tree from New Zealand; the scientific name is Metrosideros excelsa. San Francisco has thousands of New Zealand Christmas trees – it is the 2nd most common tree in the City, popular for the showy red blossoms that peak in June each year. But unlike every other San Francisco street tree of this species, this particular tree blooms yellow.
How did this tree end up with yellow flowers? The story goes back to Victor Reiter, San Francisco’s most famous plantsman from the 1930s until his death in 1986. In 1940, there was a natural mutation of the species on tiny Motiti Island in New Zealand, and in the late 1950s, Reiter was one of the first Californians to obtain a cutting of the yellow-flowering tree. The Reiter family lived in several homes on the west side of Stanyan Street, and they planted the curiosity in front of their 1221 Stanyan, which is still occupied today by a family member. More than 70 years later, the tree is thriving - a beautiful mutant with an amazing history and pedigree.