Tree species with area of origin New Zealand

Metrosideros excelsa

Myrtaceae

Metrosideros excelsa_D’Urville Island, top of the South Island of Aotearoa-NZ_01.2024 - RE

Images source: Janet Harley. 2024. D’Urville Island, top of the South Island of Aotearoa-New Zealand

Metrosideros excelsa_Nelson, top of the South Island, Aotearoa-New Zealand._12.2020 RESIZE

Image source: Janet Harley. 2020.
Nelson, top of the South Island of Aotearoa - New Zealand.

Metrosideros excelsa - Santorinii, Syros, June 2020.JPG

Image source: Janet Harley. 2020.
Greek islands.

The Pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) is a native New Zealand coastal tree, often called the "New Zealand Christmas tree" due to its bright red summer blooms. In Māori, it is believed to translate to "splashed by the spray," reflecting its coastal habitat. Spiritually, it signifies the connection between life and death, resilience, and is linked to the legend of the warrior Tāwhaki.

Key Māori Meanings and Symbolism:

Cultural Significance: Pōhutukawa is deeply connected to the afterlife. It represents the journey of the spirit, with a famous, ancient tree at Cape Reinga marking the "leaping place" where spirits depart for the underworld (Hawaiki).
Mythology: The crimson flowers represent the blood of the mythical warrior Tāwhaki, who fell to his death.
Symbol of Strength: Due to its ability to grow on rocky cliffs and endure harsh coastal winds, it symbolizes tenacity and strength.
Matariki (Māori New Year): the Matariki star cluster, is the same cluster of stars known as Pleiades, in Western, Greek-derived astronomy known as the “Seven Sisters”. (NZ Native plants)

Distribution in Athens. In coastal urban areas, it is regularly used as an ornamental shrub. However as is the case with other hardy ornamental shrubs, it can be trained as a single leader tree.

Biomes Subtropical

Countries and regions (POWO Database)

Area of Origin. New Zealand North Island.

Global Distribution (introduced) Azores, Madeira, Norfolk Is., Tristan da Cunha

Cities worldwide (GUTI Database)

In 52 inventories around the world.

OCEANIA

New Zealand : Christchurch.

Australia: Albury, Banyule, Brimbank, Burnside, Campbelltown, Colac Otway Shire, Corangamite Shire, Darebin, Fremantle, Greater Geelong, Glenelg, Gold Coast, Greater Bendigo, Hobson Bay, Knox, Launceston, Leichhardt, Manningham, Marrickville, Melbourne, Mildura, Mitcham, Moonee Valley, Moreland, Nedlands, Parramatta, Penrith, Perth, Port Phillip, Shepparton, South Grampians Shire, South Perth, Stirling, Stonnington, Sydney, Waverley, Whittlesea, Willoughby, Wyndham

AMERICAS

Colombia: Bogotá

USA: Berkeley, Honolulu, Los Angeles, National City, Oakland, Palo Alto, Pasadena, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Monica.
EUROPE

Portugal: Lisbon

Performance. It appears to be performing well in the dry and hot summers in Athens.

Literature references on Metrosideros excelsa

ARDEM project - INRAE. |Rédaction by Rose-marie Bugeaud.

“Arbres de demain - Fiches espèces.” Jardin Botanique Villa Thuret.

Created on December 23, 2022. Modified on March 25, 2024.

https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/actualites/presentation-des-fiches-especes

Fiches espèces techniques - Metrosideros excelsa

https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/content/download/6701/54883?version=1

New Zealand Native Plants Guide. (2025, June 28).

NZ Native plants | Trees.

https://www.nativeplants.nz/trees.html

NZ Native plants | Metrosideros excelsa

https://www.nativeplants.nz/metrosideros-excelsa.html

Pavone Pietro. (2024, February 27).

Monaco Nature Encyclopedia - Metrosideros excelsa

https://www.monaconatureencyclopedia.com/metrosideros-excelsa/?lang=en

Myoporum laetum

Scrophulariaceae

Distribution in Athens. In coastal urban areas, it is regularly used as an ornamental shrub. However it can be developed as a single trunk small tree. In the borough Palaio Faliro.

Biomes Subtropical

Countries and regions

Area of Origin. New Zealand.

Global Distribution (introduced) Australia (Tasmania, Victoria), Chatham Islands, Corse, East Aegean Islands, France, Italy, Portugal (Azores, Madeira ), Sicilia, Spain (Baleares, Canary Islands), Algeria, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa (Cape Provinces), Tunisia, Argentina Northeast, Mexico Northwest, USA (California), Uruguay.

Cities worldwide

Tree inventories around the world. In 10 inventories around the world:

OCEANIA: New Zealand,

AMERICAS: Argentina (Buenos Aires), Chile, Peru (Lima), USA (Berkeley, Palo Alto, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Monica).

Performance. It appears to be performing well in the dry and hot summers in Athens.

REFERENCES

RESEARCH PROJECTS

ARDEM PROJECT, INRAE

Ducatillion Catherine and Delorme, Sarah. 2022. ARbres de Demain En Méditerranée (ARDEM) projet brochure. Villa de Thuret, INRAE. 2022.

https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/content/download/6148/49641?version=1

INRAE. |Rédaction by Rose-marie Bugeaud. “Arbres de demain - Fiches espèces.” Jardin Botanique Villa Thuret. Created on December 23, 2022. Modified on March 25, 2024.

https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/actualites/presentation-des-fiches-especes

TREE SPECIES DATABASES

SelecTree

"SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZED TREES FOR CALIFORNIA'S CLIMATE FUTURE"

https://selectree.calpoly.edu/list/421

"BEST MEDIUM TO LARGE-SIZED TREES FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S CLIMATE FUTURE"

https://selectree.calpoly.edu/list/67