Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
New Zealand
Mediterranean
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
California bay leaf, Indian bay leaf or malabathrum, Indonesian bay leaf
Number of Varieties
81
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Forest edges, Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-128-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Dark Green
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
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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 in summer, Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
Birds
Allergy
-
Asthma
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
Astringent, Dysentry
anti-allergy, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Headache, Muscle Pain, Pain killer
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Cosmetics, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
LAURUS nobilis
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Bay Laurel, Sweet Bay
In Hindi
pohutukawa
bay laurel
In German
pohutukawa
Lorbeer
In French
pohutukawa
laurier
In Spanish
pohutukawa
laurel
In Greek
pohutukawa
δάφνη
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
louro
In Polish
pohutukawa
wawrzynu
In Latin
pohutukawa
sinus laurus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
-
Class
-
-
Order
Myrtales
Laurales
Family
Myrtaceae
Lauraceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Laurus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
123
1
27800
👆🏻