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Sadly, Pukekohe’s famed Judas Tree didn’t claim the 2026 Tree of the Year title, with Tawa’s Bucket Tree receiving the most votes.
We’re not sore losers, but the Times team has been a little stumped by the result, especially seeing as our beloved Judas has a tree-mendous backstory.
While this outcome wasn’t the one we were rooting for, we can still be proud that this local legend towered among the six national finalists.
Local arborist Mike Jarvis and his wife Trisha were among the biggest supporters of the Judas Tree, sharing its remarkable history and shining a light on a much-loved piece of Pukekohe.
She may not have been the biggest fan of the winning entry, but Trisha says the competition was a great way to recognise remarkable trees while bringing our community together.
“We have some beautiful trees and it’s great to celebrate them all, apart from that boring bucket tree,” she laughs, “But seriously, they are all quite amazing.
“It’s nice to put the spotlight on the tree, to get people to pause and know they have a cool tree with a very cool history,” she says.
The Judas Tree’s story stretches back to the Second World War when Kiwi soldier Sam Allen took refuge beneath a Judas tree in Italy’s Sangro Valley.
Before returning home, he took seeds from the tree and later gifted them to his mum in Parnell. In 1948, Sam’s brother planted the seedlings in his Pukekohe garden, relocating the tree when his family moved to Seddon Street.
When the Seddon property was eventually sold, the tree remained and became part of what we now know as Seddon Park.
Tawa’s entry might have won the competition, but Pukekohe’s Judas Tree has earned something even more special – a treasured place in the hearts of locals.
If the judges of this contest did receive our bribe of 30 pieces of silver, please contact us. We would like a word – Ed.
