Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
New Zealand
Southern Africa
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
820
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-129-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
Light Red
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
Elliptic and Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas
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
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, 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
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Carissia
In Hindi
pohutukawa
Carissa
In German
pohutukawa
carissa
In French
pohutukawa
carissa
In Spanish
pohutukawa
carissa
In Greek
pohutukawa
carissa
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
carissa
In Polish
pohutukawa
carissa
In Latin
pohutukawa
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Gentianales
Family
Myrtaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Carisseae
Subfamily
-
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
12100
1
27800
👆🏻