Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
New Zealand
North America, United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, California, Canada
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
-
Number of Varieties
830
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Lowland evergreen rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-124-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
Yellow, Red, Coral
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Green, 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
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Layering, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
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
Insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
Anodyne, Appetizer, Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Flowers, Inner Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Used as a dye, used for making charcoal, Used for making informal hedge
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
ALNUS rubra
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Oregon Alder, Red Alder
In Hindi
pohutukawa
red alder
In German
pohutukawa
rot-Erle
In French
pohutukawa
aulne rouge
In Spanish
pohutukawa
aliso rojo
In Greek
pohutukawa
κόκκινη σκλήθρα
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
amieiro vermelho
In Polish
pohutukawa
czerwony olcha
In Latin
pohutukawa
red alnus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Fagales
Family
Myrtaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Alnus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1235
1
27800
👆🏻