Pōhutukawa (New Zealand Christmas tree)
New Zealand's iconic Christmas tree, blazing crimson over summer - but be honest with yourself about size: a multi-trunked spreading giant that can reach 20m and needs real room, not a small suburban section. Coastal and wind-tolerant but frost-tender when young, so it's not reliably grown in colder inland or southern gardens. Watch for myrtle rust, a serious and now-established fungal threat to this and other native myrtles.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- low
- Spacing
- 400cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury
- Mature height
- 20m
- Flowering season
- Jan, Nov, Dec
- Attracts wildlife
- Tūī, Bellbird/korimako, Bees
- Evergreen
- Yes
- Common diseases
- Myrtle rust
- Common pests
- Pōhutukawa leafminer, Scale insects
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: March-April and September-November. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: September-November. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: September-October.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentFirst few months
- Water consistently through the first summer while roots establish, even though this is a low-water tree once mature
- Young plants are frost-tender, so hold off planting in colder inland or southern gardens until risk has passed
- Mulch around the base to conserve moisture, keeping mulch clear of the trunk
Early growthFirst 1-2 years
- Check new growth for pōhutukawa leafminer damage and scale insects
- Full sun and a sheltered but open position help young trees bulk up steadily
- Keep an eye on overall spread; this is a multi-trunked, spreading giant that needs real room
FloweringNovember-January
- Blazing crimson flowers draw tūī, bellbird and bees, so avoid spraying nearby during this period
- Inspect new growth for bright yellow-orange pustules of myrtle rust, a serious threat to this species
- Little watering is needed by this stage as the tree becomes drought-tolerant
Maturity
- Established trees are wind- and coastal-tolerant and need very little ongoing care
- Continue watching for myrtle rust and scale insects even on mature specimens