Jesse's Blog

The Scientific name: Metrosideros excelsa

 Metrosideros excelsa, with common names pōhutukawa, New Zealand pohutukawa, New Zealand Christmas tree, New Zealand Christmas bush, and iron tree, is a coastal evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae,that produces a brilliant display of red flowers made up of a mass of stamens

How to plant a Pohutukawa tree 

 1. Choose a site that receives direct sunlight each day and is not crowded by other trees and vegetation. Plant the tree far away from buildings and pipes because the roots have been known to cause severe damage to homes and foundations.

2. Dig a hole 3 inches wider and deeper than the root ball of the pohutukawa tree. Fill the bottom 3 inches of the hole with soil, and water it until moist. Place the root ball into the hole and fill in the surrounding areas with soil.

3. 

Cover a 3-foot radius around the trunk of the tree with cedar mulch to retain moisture and prevent the growth of weeds. Water the tree until the soil is soaked.

4. Water the tree once every two or three days in the first growing season. This will help the tree remain strong and establish itself faster. 

5. Fertilize the tree by spreading a handful of bone meal and blood meal around the base of the tree in the spring.

6. Prune back any damaged or diseased branches as they appear, and discard them to prevent the spread of disease to the rest of the tree. Prune back growth during the winter to shape the tree and give it a bushier appearance. 

Things You Will Need

• Shovel
• Sand
• Compost
• Bone meal
• Blood meal
• Mulch
• Hose
• Pruners

Tips

• Pohutukawa trees tolerate many soil types as long as the drainage is good. If the drainage of the soil is poor, mix sand into the topsoil before planting. Mix a few handfuls of bone meal and blood meal fertilizer as well as rich compost into the soil.
• Pohutukawa trees are best planted in large rural lots far away from buildings and other structures -- not in urban areas.