Grow a New Zealand Christmas tree in full sun, in soil that drains, and water it through the first dry summers, then back off. It is Metrosideros excelsa, also called pohutukawa — not a holiday fir.
Give it full sun, soil that drains, and water the first summers, then back off
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Full sun; a few hours of afternoon shade is fine | Do not plant it in deep shade, because bloom thins and the crown stretches |
| Soil | Sand or loam that drains; coastal grit is fine | Do not sit it in a wet pocket that holds rain around the roots |
| Water | Water deeply through the first one or two dry summers, then skip extra on the coast | Do not keep the soil wet because the tag says drought-tolerant |
| Salt | Salt wind and spray are fine on leathery leaves | Do not treat salt spray as a reason to waterlog the hole |
| Frost | Shelter a young plant from a hard freeze; woody plants take about 25 to 30 F | Do not leave a new plant in a frost pocket its first winter |
| Feed | Little or none in the ground; a spring mulch kept off the trunk is enough | Do not dump fertilizer in a wet hole |
New Zealand Christmas tree is an evergreen myrtle-family tree with leathery leaves that are dark green above and white-felted beneath. In a garden it often reaches 20 to 30 feet, and unpruned plants can spread about as wide as they are tall. [1] Give it full sun and soil that drains. Water a new plant through the first dry summers. Once the roots are in, skip extra water on the coast except in a long dry spell. A soggy hole still rots the roots, so drainage matters more than a wet calendar. [2] Salt wind is fine. A hard freeze around 25 to 30 F can burn young growth, so wait until the stems are woody before you trust it outdoors where frost hits. [3] When you are ready to set a nursery tree in the ground, see Planting New Zealand Christmas Tree.
Does a New Zealand Christmas tree need full sun?
Yes, full sun for the best bloom. A few hours of afternoon shade is fine. Deep shade thins the flowers and stretches the crown.
How often should I water a New Zealand Christmas tree?
Water through the first one or two dry summers. Once the roots are in, skip extra on the coast except in a long dry spell. Do not leave it in standing water.
Is a New Zealand Christmas tree drought tolerant?
Once it is established on the coast, yes. Water a new plant through the first summers, then back off. A wet hole still causes root rot.
Can it take salt spray?
Yes. Leathery leaves take coastal wind and salt spray. The hole still has to drain.
It flowers in late spring and summer with red stamen brushes
The show is a mass of scarlet stamens at the branch tips, not a petal flower. On the US Pacific coast that usually opens in late spring and runs into summer. In New Zealand the same flush peaks around Christmas, which is how the shop name stuck. [4] Birds work the nectar. Older trees may drop aerial roots from the branches; those roots are how the tree braces itself on a cliff, not a sign you under-watered. Shape and timing of cuts belong on Pruning New Zealand Christmas Tree.
When does a New Zealand Christmas tree bloom?
Late spring into summer on the US Pacific coast. The New Zealand peak is around December, which is their midsummer.
Not a holiday fir — and not a bottlebrush or ohia
A New Zealand Christmas tree is an evergreen myrtle, not a cut fir you bring indoors in December. Bottlebrush is Callistemon, with long cylindrical spikes — see How to Grow Bottlebrush. Weeping bottlebrush was once sold as Metrosideros viminalis; that name is not this tree. Hawaiian ohia is Metrosideros polymorpha, a different species from wet forest, not this coastal plant. Eucalyptus is another myrtle — see How to Grow Eucalyptus. Tea tree is Leptospermum — see How to Grow Tea Tree. Christmas cactus is Schlumbergera — see How to Grow Christmas Cactus. Christmas palm is Adonidia — see How to Grow Christmas Palm.
Is a New Zealand Christmas tree a holiday fir?
No. It is Metrosideros, an evergreen myrtle that blooms in warm weather. It is not a cut Christmas fir.
Is it the same as bottlebrush or ohia?
No. Bottlebrush is Callistemon. Ohia is Metrosideros polymorpha from Hawaii, a different species.
If the leaves yellow and the crown thins in a low spot, move the next plant onto ground that drains, and water the first summers only.
FAQ
Is there more than one kind of New Zealand Christmas tree?
We list one species, Metrosideros excelsa. Names such as Māori Princess, Tahiti, and Springfire show up in the trade; they are not extra cards here. Read the tag for size.
Can I grow a New Zealand Christmas tree in a pot?
A young plant can sit in a large container you can move under cover before a hard freeze. It is still a tree, not a houseplant. Use a mix that drains, and plan to plant it out.
What can I plant with a New Zealand Christmas tree?
Other coastal plants that like full sun and draining soil, such as New Zealand flax. See How to Grow New Zealand Flax.
How do I start more plants?
Sow fresh seed barely covered, or take summer heel cuttings. See How to Propagate New Zealand Christmas Tree.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] San Marcos Growers -
https://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=1058 - [2] Kings Plant Barn -
https://www.kings.co.nz/growing-guides/metrosideros - [3] Useful Temperate Plants -
https://temperate.theferns.info/plant/Metrosideros+excelsa - [4] Royal Horticultural Society -
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/11097/metrosideros-excelsa/details
This note is part of Metrosideros Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors