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| Category: Tree |
| Family: Myrtaceae (Myrtles) |
| Origin: New Zealand (Australasia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Synonyms: [Metrosideros excelsus, M. tomentosa] |
| Height: 20-30 feet |
| Width: 10-15 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F |
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Metrosideros excelsa (New Zealand Christmas Tree) - This narrow upright evergreen tree will take full sun and is drought tolerant. Scarlet flowers appear in spring through summer. It can reach up to 20 to 30 feet tall by about 12 to 15 feet wide. It does well in seaside conditions and is hardy to about 25-30 degrees F. Useful for its narrow upright habit. A great street tree in Santa Barbara. Is it M excelsus or M. excelsa: seems that many US sources (Sunset, Hortus) cite the specific epithet as "excelsus" while most British and New Zealand sources (RHS Exncyclopaedia, Flora of New Zealand) use "excelsa". Since this tree hails from New Zealand we follow their spelling of "excelsa". We have grown this plant in bush and tree form off and on since our nursery was extablished in 1979. This plant is availbable from many sources but we no longer grow it.
The information about Metrosideros excelsa displayed on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources we consider reliable. We will also relate those observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and in other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has additional information, particularly when they share cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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