Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
New Zealand
Types
Ratibida columnifera
Metrosideros excelsa
Number of Varieties
258
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-1010-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
12-9
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Red, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Subulate
Acicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Rhinitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic
Astringent, Dysentry
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers, Wood
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Application in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
RATIBIDA columnifera
METROSIDEROS excelsa
Common Name
Mexican Hat
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
In Hindi
Mexican Hat
pohutukawa
In German
Mexican Hat
pohutukawa
In French
Mexican Hat
pohutukawa
In Spanish
mexican Hat
pohutukawa
In Greek
Mexican Hat
pohutukawa
In Portuguese
Mexican Hat
pohutukawa
In Polish
Mexican Hat
pohutukawa
In Latin
Mexicanus Hat
pohutukawa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Asterales
Myrtales
Family
Asteraceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Ratibida
Metrosideros
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1412
1
27800
👆🏻