Australia's only cold climate winter deciduous tree

Nothofagus gunnii - Deciduous beech, or Fagus
It is Australia's only cold climate winter deciduous tree, and you will find it nowhere else in the world except Tasmania.
Its autumn display is superb. Fagus turns a spectacular range of autumn colours, from rust red through to brilliant gold, during Late April into May. It prefers cool damp places so it is best see in remote highlands.
I was lucky enough to visit Lake Fenton in Mt Field National park the last weekend of April . I thought I would share these pictures with you, a living example of a time when Tasmania was part of the super continent of Gondwana.

 It grows through giant boulders, in association with the snow gum, tea-tree and other heath species.

 Here it is growing in association with Pandani Richea pandanifolia,the largest heath plant in the world.

 A close up view of the "crinkle-cut" leaves, not many were this red this year.

Living between the mossy boulders, this really old fagus tree resembles a living bonsai!