Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Fruit
Origin
New Zealand
Southeastern Asia
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
Starfruit
Number of Varieties
82
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1210-14
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
11-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
Pink, Rose, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
Yellow, Orange, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Gray
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Frost
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize every year
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Kidney Stone
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, High blood pressure, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
AVERRHOA carambola
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Carambola, Starfruit
In Hindi
pohutukawa
carambola पेड़
In German
pohutukawa
Sternfrucht Baum
In French
pohutukawa
arbre carambole
In Spanish
pohutukawa
árbol de carambola
In Greek
pohutukawa
carambola δέντρο
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
árvore de carambola
In Polish
pohutukawa
karambola drzewo
In Latin
pohutukawa
carambola ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Oxalidales
Family
Myrtaceae
Oxalidaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Averrhoa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
12180
1
27800
👆🏻