Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
New Zealand
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
83
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Gray
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Egg-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 Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
pohutukawa
Lignum Vitae
In German
pohutukawa
Lignum Vitae
In French
pohutukawa
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
pohutukawa
Palo santo
In Greek
pohutukawa
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
pau-santo
In Polish
pohutukawa
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
pohutukawa
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Sapindales
Family
Myrtaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
123
1
27800
👆🏻