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Myrtaceae FAMILY

Metrosideros umbellata

Metrosideros umbellata

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
Growth—

Metrosideros umbellata is not very hardy in the temperate zone, succeeding outdoors only in the mildest regions where it will often only make a small shrub[1, 2, 3]. Prefers a well-drained but moisture-retentive lime-free soil in a sunny position[2, 3]. Plants are somewhat lime-tolerant but are unsuitable for shallow soils over chalk[3]. Very resistant to maritime exposure[4]. A very ornamental plant[1]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[3].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a warm greenhouse and only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, in individual pots in a frame. Good percentage[3]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Metrosideros+umbellata>

Pollinators

Bees

References

  1. [1]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  2. [2]Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. — Thomas. G. S. · Murray · 1992 · ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 ↩︎Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]The Milder Garden. — Taylor. J. · Dent · 1990 ↩︎A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
  5. [5]New Zealand Native Tree Species Information — National Association of Woodworkers NZ Inc. · http://www.naw.org.nz/resources/tree_types.html ↩︎A series of information sheets (15 as of May 2017) in PDF format, giving information on some of the more important native timber trees of New Zealand,
  6. [6]Flora of New Zealand. — Allan. H. H. · Government Printer, Wellington. · 1961 · http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Book.aspx?fileName=Flora%201.xml · ISBN - ↩︎The standard work, in 5 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats. There is also an on-line version.