Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
New Zealand
Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
-
Number of Varieties
83
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1210-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
H2, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm1,520.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Gray
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Maple shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
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
Wet Site, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Water daily during growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Moderate
In Spring
Moderate
Less Watering
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Insects
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, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
For treating wrinkles, Moisturizing, used as a dye
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
Cramps, Dermatitis
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Can be made into a herbal tea, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Sauces, Used as firewood
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Mixed Border, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
ALEURITES moluccanus
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Candleberry, Candlenut, Kukui
In Hindi
pohutukawa
Aleurites moluccanus
In German
pohutukawa
Lichtnussbaum
In French
pohutukawa
Aleurites moluccana
In Spanish
pohutukawa
Aleurites moluccanus
In Greek
pohutukawa
Aleurites moluccanus
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
Nogueira-de-iguape
In Polish
pohutukawa
Nogueira-de-iguape
In Latin
pohutukawa
Aleurites moluccanus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Angiosperms
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Euphorbiales
Family
Myrtaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Aleurites
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Aleuritideae
Subfamily
-
Crotonoideae
Number of Species
1250
1
27800
👆🏻