Life Span
-
Annual
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa, South Africa
New Zealand
Types
Shrub
Metrosideros excelsa
Number of Varieties
368
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forest margins, Grassland, Mountains, Pastures, Rocky Ridges, Woods
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1110-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-9
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green, Ivory
Red, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Use and maintain water-efficient soaker hoses, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather, Water Deeply
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Diarrhea, Dysentry
Astringent, Dysentry
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Wood
Other Uses
Culinary use, Employed in herbal medicine, Used as a dye, Used as a spice, Used in paper industry, Wood is used for making furniture
Application in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
RHUS lancea
METROSIDEROS excelsa
Common Name
African Sumac
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
In Hindi
अफ्रीकी एक प्रकार का पौधा
pohutukawa
In German
African sumac
pohutukawa
In French
sumac africaine
pohutukawa
In Spanish
zumaque africano
pohutukawa
In Greek
Αφρικανική σουμάκι
pohutukawa
In Portuguese
sumac africano
pohutukawa
In Polish
afrykański sumaka
pohutukawa
In Latin
African sumac
pohutukawa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
-
Class
-
-
Order
Sapindales
Myrtales
Family
Anacardiaceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Rhus
Metrosideros
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Anacardioideae
-
Number of Species
3612
1
27800
👆🏻