Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
New Zealand
Types
Perennial
Metrosideros excelsa
Number of Varieties
508
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1010-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Red, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Acicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent, Dysentry
Part of Plant Used
Root
Flowers, Wood
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Application in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
METROSIDEROS excelsa
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
In Hindi
African Iris
pohutukawa
In German
Afrikanische Iris
pohutukawa
In French
African Iris
pohutukawa
In Spanish
Iris africano
pohutukawa
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
pohutukawa
In Portuguese
Iris africano
pohutukawa
In Polish
Afryki Iris
pohutukawa
In Latin
African Iris
pohutukawa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Asparagales
Myrtales
Family
Iridaceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Dietes
Metrosideros
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
30012
1
27800
👆🏻