2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Metrosideros (Latin Metrosideros) - deciduous evergreen tree belonging to the Myrtle family. Its second name is the Christmas tree.
Description
Metrosideros is a deciduous evergreen tree. However, it can look like not only trees, but also lianas. And specimens growing on coastal rocks are almost always low shrubs.
The flowers of metrosideros are collected in small brushes or umbrellas, and their stamens are almost always bright red in color (however, sometimes there are other shades). Thin stamens of stamens give these flowers an amazing decorative effect!
The most common varieties of metrosideros are metrosideros tall and metrosideros polymorph. The first, by the way, justifies the name given to it entirely and completely, since its height can reach twenty-three meters. And metrosideros polymorph is a luxurious highly branched bush.
Where grows
Metrosideros can be seen on dunes and rocky cliffs, as well as in bush or coastal forests. As for its habitat, this plant will not be difficult to meet in New Zealand, New Guinea, New Caledonia and Hawaii. In addition, metrosideros is found in South Africa, as well as on a number of small Pacific islands.
Usage
Metrosideros is actively used as a decoration in a truly incredible number of seaside resorts - this is due to its extreme resistance to the not always favorable conditions of the coast (fog, etc.).
Growing and caring
Metrosideros is extremely partial to sunlight and does not need shading at all. In summer, it can be safely put outdoors, in areas protected from winds, and in winter, it will feel best in a cool room, the temperature in which is in the range of five to ten degrees.
As for watering, in winter they should be moderate (while the soil should remain slightly moist, and not dry out completely), and abundant from spring to autumn. If suddenly a beautiful plant begins to shed flowers or leaves, it is necessary to carefully examine the earthen lump - the cause of this situation can be either excessive overdrying or excessive watering. In the latter case, the roots of the plant may additionally begin to rot.
Close attention should be paid to air humidity - metrosideros loves high humidity. To achieve the required level of humidity, it is recommended to spray the air around it from time to time, making sure that the spray of water does not fall on the plant itself.
This plant can be propagated both by cuttings and by seed. Cuttings for these purposes are usually cut from March to June, and the best temperature for growing them will be around twenty-five degrees. As a rule, plants propagated in this way begin to bloom in three to four years, not earlier. It is also important to know that growing metrosideros from cuttings is a very difficult and troublesome business.
However, seed reproduction will also require a lot of patience - their germination often takes from one to three months. It is best to try to sow seeds in February or March, deepening them 1 to 2 millimeters into a fresh peat mixture. And the temperature at this moment, ideally, should not exceed eighteen degrees.
And a little about pruning - adult specimens are usually pruned after their flowering is completed, and young ones gradually form throughout the year.
