Metrosideros kermadecensis, commonly called the (
Kermadec pōhutukawa) is an evergreen
treeA tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
of the
myrtleThe Myrtle is a genus of one or two species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, native to southern Europe and north Africa. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees, growing to 5 m tall. The leaves are entire, 3-5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil. The star-like flowers have five...
family which is endemic to the volcanic
Kermadec IslandsThe Kermadec Islands are an island arc in the South Pacific Ocean. The islands have been part of New Zealand since 1887.The islands lie within 29° to 31.5° south latitude and 178° to 179° west longitude, 800 – 1000 km northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest...
about 900 km north-east of
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
. The tree produces a brilliant display of red flowers, made up of a mass of
stamenThe stamen is the male organ of a flower. Each stamen generally has a stalk called the filament , and, on top of the filament, an anther , and pollen sacs,...
s and is the dominant forest tree on
Raoul IslandAnvil-shaped Raoul Island , the largest and northernmost of the main Kermadec Islands, , has been the source of vigorous volcanic activity during the past several thousand years that was dominated by dacitic explosive eruptions.The area of the island,...
, growing to 15 m or more. The trunk is up to 1 m or more in diameter. It is very similar to, and often confused with, the
pōhutukawaThe Pōhutukawa 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. The Pōhutukawa is one of twelve Metrosideros species endemic to New Zealand.-Description:The tree grows up to in height, with a dome-like...
of mainland New Zealand, differing mainly by having smaller, more oval leaves, and by flowering throughout the year.
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Metrosideros kermadecensis, commonly called the (
Kermadec pōhutukawa) is an evergreen
treeA tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
of the
myrtleThe Myrtle is a genus of one or two species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, native to southern Europe and north Africa. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees, growing to 5 m tall. The leaves are entire, 3-5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil. The star-like flowers have five...
family which is endemic to the volcanic
Kermadec IslandsThe Kermadec Islands are an island arc in the South Pacific Ocean. The islands have been part of New Zealand since 1887.The islands lie within 29° to 31.5° south latitude and 178° to 179° west longitude, 800 – 1000 km northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest...
about 900 km north-east of
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
. The tree produces a brilliant display of red flowers, made up of a mass of
stamenThe stamen is the male organ of a flower. Each stamen generally has a stalk called the filament , and, on top of the filament, an anther , and pollen sacs,...
s and is the dominant forest tree on
Raoul IslandAnvil-shaped Raoul Island , the largest and northernmost of the main Kermadec Islands, , has been the source of vigorous volcanic activity during the past several thousand years that was dominated by dacitic explosive eruptions.The area of the island,...
, growing to 15 m or more. The trunk is up to 1 m or more in diameter. It is very similar to, and often confused with, the
pōhutukawaThe Pōhutukawa 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. The Pōhutukawa is one of twelve Metrosideros species endemic to New Zealand.-Description:The tree grows up to in height, with a dome-like...
of mainland New Zealand, differing mainly by having smaller, more oval leaves, and by flowering throughout the year. It also resembles the
ōhia lehuaThe ōhia lehua is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that is endemic to the six largest islands of Hawaii. It is a highly variable tree, being tall in favorable situations, and much smaller when growing in boggy soils or on basalt...
of
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...
.
Conservation
Because it is endemic to a small group of islands,
Metrosideros kermadecensis is listed as range restricted, but is not regarded as threatened.
Cultivation
Metrosideros kermadecensis is widely cultivated in
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
and has naturalised in
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...
. A variegated form is widely planted in home gardens. Propagation is easy from fresh seed. Cuttings may be grown from water shoots. It hybridises with pōhutukawa (
M. excelsa).