Pohutukawa.

Auf einen Blick

Pflegestufe

Mittel

Pflanzenart

Evergreen tree

Licht

Full sun

Licht im Innenraum

Direkte Sonne

Gießen

Alle 7 bis 14 Tage

Endgröße

15 to 20 meters

Wachstum

Mittel

Winterhärte

USDA 9 bis 11

Blütezeit

Late spring to early summer

Pflege

Plant this tree in a sunny spot with well draining soil to keep it happy. Watch for yellowing leaves which often indicate poor drainage or overwatering. It handles salt spray well but needs protection from hard frosts while young.

Gießen

Water deeply once the top few inches of soil feel dry to the touch.

Düngen

Apply a balanced slow release fertilizer during the active growing season.

Schneiden

Lightly prune after flowering to maintain shape and remove any dead wood.

Umtopfen

Repot only when the roots have filled the container or the tree becomes unstable.

Boden

Sandy or loamy well draining soil

Boden-pH

Neutral to slightly acidic

Temperatur

-2 bis 35°C

Luftfeuchtigkeit

40 bis 70%

Trockenheitstoleranz

Hoch

Lebensdauer

Long lived, often exceeding 100 years in ideal conditions.

Wildverbiss-Resistenz

Mittel

Sicherheit

Menschen

The plant is generally considered non toxic to humans, though the fine hairs on the leaves can cause minor irritation.

Kinder

The stiff, leathery leaves and dense branches are not a significant ingestion risk, but the fine leaf hairs may irritate sensitive skin.

Kontaktallergene

The fine, felt like hairs on the underside of the leaves can cause skin irritation if handled frequently.

Allergene in der Luft

The pollen can be an irritant for those with severe seasonal allergies.

Essbarkeit

The flowers are not typically consumed and may cause irritation.

So erkennst du die Pflanze

• Bright crimson brush-like flowers
• Dark green leathery oval leaves
• Silvery white hairs on leaf undersides
• Gnarled and twisted woody trunk
• Aerial roots hanging from branches

Höhe

6 bis 15m

Breite

5 bis 12m

Blätter

dark green, silvery gray, evergreen

Blüten

bright red, 3 bis 5cm

Früchte

brown, Late summer

Häufige Probleme

• Myrtle rust — A fungal infection that causes yellow pustules on leaves and stems.
• Scale insects — Small sap sucking insects that cluster on stems and leaves.

Standort und Pflege

Vermehrung

cuttings, seed

Pflanzzeit

spring, early autumn

Überwinterung

Protect from hard frosts by covering with horticultural fleece if temperatures drop near freezing. Keep the soil relatively dry during the winter months to prevent root rot.

Im Kübel

It grows well in large containers for several years, provided the pot is at least 50 centimeters wide and has excellent drainage.

Group with other salt tolerant coastal plants to create a windbreak that protects more delicate species behind it.

Gute Pflanzpartner

• Neuseeländischer Flachs — They share similar coastal environmental requirements and provide a nice textural contrast.
• Westringia fruticosa — This shrub thrives in the same salt spray conditions and complements the tree's foliage.

Ähnliche Arten

• Metrosideros robusta — A related species that also features bright red flowers but has a different growth habit.

Botanisches

Familie

Myrtaceae

Gattung

Metrosideros

Ordnung

Myrtales

Klasse

Magnoliopsida

Ursprüngliche Heimat

Coastal regions of New Zealand.

Artenschutz

It is not currently endangered, but wild populations are managed to prevent habitat loss.

It thrives on coastal cliffs where its aerial roots help it cling to rocky substrates and absorb moisture from sea spray.

Nutzen für Wildtiere

nectar source, nesting habitat

Bestäuber

Bienen, Schmetterlinge, Kolibris

Verwendung

ornamental specimen, coastal windbreak, erosion control

Taxonomie abgeglichen mit GBIF.

Häufige Fragen

Can I grow this in a pot?

Yes, it grows well in large containers when young, but will eventually need to be planted in the ground.

How often should I water it?

Water regularly until established, then it becomes quite drought tolerant.

Woher der Name kommt

The genus name Metrosideros comes from the Greek words for iron and heart, referring to the extremely hard wood, while excelsa means tall or lofty.

Gut zu wissen

• It is highly salt tolerant, making it perfect for coastal gardens.
• The tree produces aerial roots that can absorb moisture directly from the air.
• It can grow in very rocky, nutrient poor soil.
• The wood is extremely dense and was historically used for ship knees.

Auch in

• Trockenheitsverträgliche Pflanzen