Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
New Zealand
Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
Brewster, Mauritius, Hak ip
Number of Varieties
830
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1210-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm1,070.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
Light Yellow, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
Red, Magenta
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Red, Dark Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Gray
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Gray
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Gray
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
High
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Twice a week
In Winter
Average Water
Regular watering required
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune after harvesting, Prune lower leaves, Prune to control growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize after blooming period
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, fungus, Leaf curl
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
Itchiness
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
anti-allergy, Bone strength, Digestive disorders, Heart problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Fruits
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Feature Plant, Foundation, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
LITCHI chinensis
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Litchee, Litchi, Lychee
In Hindi
pohutukawa
लीची
In German
pohutukawa
Lychee
In French
pohutukawa
Lychee
In Spanish
pohutukawa
Lychee
In Greek
pohutukawa
λίτσι
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
lichia
In Polish
pohutukawa
Lychee
In Latin
pohutukawa
Lychee
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Sapindales
Family
Myrtaceae
Sapindaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Litchi Sonn
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Sapindoideae
Number of Species
123
1
27800
👆🏻