Metrosideros kermadecensis

For another tree called pōhutukawa see Metrosideros excelsa

Metrosideros kermadecensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Metrosideros
Species:	M. kermadecensis
Binomial name
Metrosideros kermadecensis W.R.B.Oliv.
Synonyms
formerly included in Metrosideros polymorpha and Metrosideros villosa

Metrosideros kermadecensis, with common names Kermadec pōhutukawa and New Zealand Christmas bush is an evergreen tree of the myrtle family which is endemic to the volcanic Kermadec Islands about 900 km north-east of New Zealand. The tree produces a brilliant display of red flowers, made up of a mass of stamens and is the dominant forest tree on Raoul Island, growing to 15 m or more. The trunk is up to 1 m or more in diameter. It is very similar to, and often confused with, the pōhutukawa of mainland New Zealand, differing mainly by having smaller, more oval leaves, and by flowering throughout the year. It also resembles the ʻōhiʻa lehua of Hawaii.

Conservation

Because it is endemic to a small group of islands, Metrosideros kermadecensis is listed as range restricted, but is not regarded as threatened.

Cultivation

M. kermadecensis is popular in cultivation in New Zealand

Metrosideros kermadecensis is widely cultivated in New Zealand and has naturalised in Hawaii. A variegated form is widely planted in home gardens. Propagation is easy from fresh seed. Cuttings may be grown from water shoots. It hybridises with pōhutukawa (M. excelsa).

See also

• Pōhutukawa

References

• "Metrosideros kermadecensis". Flora of New Zealand. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
• "Metrosideros kermadecensis". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
• Simpson, P., 2005. Pōhutukawa & Rātā: New Zealand's Iron-Hearted Trees. Wellington: Te Papa Press.