Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
New Zealand
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
89
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-129-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Gray
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
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
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
Needs a lot of water initially
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
pohutukawa
Sausage Tree
In German
pohutukawa
Sausage Tree
In French
pohutukawa
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
pohutukawa
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
pohutukawa
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
pohutukawa
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
pohutukawa
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Lamiales
Family
Myrtaceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Tecomeae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
129
1
27800
👆🏻