Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Tree
Flowering Plants
Origin
New Zealand
America, Europe
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
Clump verbena, Moss verbena, Annual Verbena, Brazilian verbena, Sandpaper Verbana
Number of Varieties
850
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
Forest edges, Hillside, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-123-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm6.56 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm10.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
Blue, Dark Purple, Light Purple, Red, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Gray
Dark Green, Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Gray
Dark Green, Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Gray
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Early Spring, Late Autumn
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Fall, Early Summer, Fall, Late Spring, Late Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Do not water frequently, Medium, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune lower leaves, Prune regularly, Prune to control growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Arthritis, Asthma, Chest Pain, Itchiness, Whooping Cough
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
Arthritis, Gallbladder Diseases, Itching, Jaundice, Joint pain, Kidney problems, Liver problems, Metabolic disorders, Sore throat, Upset stomach, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics, Decoration Purposes, Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for flavoring in Liquors, dairy products, gelatins,puddings, meats, candies, etc., Used for fragrance
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, Bonsai, Container, Edible, Herb
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
Purpletop Vervain
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Verbena
In Hindi
pohutukawa
verbena
In German
pohutukawa
Eisenkraut
In French
pohutukawa
verveine
In Spanish
pohutukawa
Verbena
In Greek
pohutukawa
λουίζα
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
verbena
In Polish
pohutukawa
werbena
In Latin
pohutukawa
Grindelia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Lamiales
Family
Myrtaceae
Verbenaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Verbena
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
12250
1
27800
👆🏻