Life Span
Annual
Biennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
New Zealand
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
820
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-129-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
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
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
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply N-P-K
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
pohutukawa
Butterfly tree
In German
pohutukawa
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
pohutukawa
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
pohutukawa
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
pohutukawa
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
árvore borboleta
In Polish
pohutukawa
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
pohutukawa
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Fabales
Family
Myrtaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Cercideae
Subfamily
-
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
12500
1
27800
👆🏻