Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
New Zealand
Southeastern Asia
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
Taro Alocasia reginula, Night scented lily
Number of Varieties
870
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Terrestrial, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Gray
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Gray
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Full Sun, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, From bulbs, From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Blight, Mites, Red spider mite
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Full Sun, Humidity
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
Spider Mites
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
-
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
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, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
ALOCASIA reginula
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Elephant Ear
In Hindi
pohutukawa
Elephant Ear
In German
pohutukawa
Elephant Ear
In French
pohutukawa
Elephant Ear
In Spanish
pohutukawa
Elephant Ear
In Greek
pohutukawa
Elephant Ear
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
Elephant Ear
In Polish
pohutukawa
Elephant Ear
In Latin
pohutukawa
Elephant Ear
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Liliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Alismatales
Family
Myrtaceae
Araceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
-
Aroideae
Number of Species
1279
1
27800
👆🏻