Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Melanesia, Australia
New Zealand
Types
Umbrella plant
Amate
Metrosideros excelsa
Number of Varieties
10008
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink
Red, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Purple
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple
Dark Green, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
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
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Dermititis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
Astringent, Dysentry
Part of Plant Used
Root
Flowers, Wood
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Application in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
METROSIDEROS excelsa
Common Name
Octopus Tree
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
In Hindi
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
pohutukawa
In German
Octopus tree
pohutukawa
In French
arbre Octopus
pohutukawa
In Spanish
árbol pulpo
pohutukawa
In Greek
χταπόδι δέντρο
pohutukawa
In Portuguese
Octopus árvore
pohutukawa
In Polish
Ośmiornica drzewo
pohutukawa
In Latin
polypus ligno
pohutukawa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Apiales
Myrtales
Family
Araliaceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Schefflera
Metrosideros
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Aralioideae
-
Number of Species
1512
1
27800
👆🏻