Metrosideros ‘Mini Christmas’

Metrosideros 'Mini Christmas' (Metrosideros collina hybrid) is a dwarf pohutukawa that carries scarlet brushes through the warmer months on a plant small enough for a balcony. It settles at about 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide, and growth is slow, which is exactly why it stays neat without an annual battle. Salt, wind and dry heat barely register.

Why you'll love it

• Red flowers on a small shrub. The scarlet stamens are the same show the big pohutukawas put on, scaled down to a plant that fits a courtyard.
• Built for the coast. Salt tolerant, wind tolerant and drought tolerant once established, so a front line seaside position does not burn the foliage.
• It stays where you put it. Slow growth and a 1.5m ceiling mean no constant pruning to keep it in bounds.
• Birds work the flowers. Nectar feeders find it quickly, which brings movement to a small garden or a balcony pot.

Where it works best

Pots and balconies. A pot 400mm or wider will hold it for years. Use a free draining mix, and allow for the fact that a potted plant in wind dries out much faster than one in the ground.

Coastal gardens. Salt and wind tolerance let it sit in the front line of a seaside garden. Group three or more through a mixed bed for a stronger run of colour.

Small gardens and feature planting. At this size it works as a low anchor near an entry or beside a path, where the flowers are seen close up.

Growing Metrosideros 'Mini Christmas' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering. Subtropical, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens suit it. It takes light frost only, so in cool inland or tableland districts keep it in a pot you can shift under cover, or plant it against a warm north facing wall.

Soil. Free drainage is the one real requirement. Sandy coastal soils are ideal. On clay, plant on a raised mound with compost through the bed, because roots sitting wet through winter is the usual cause of failure.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then only in dry spells. Feed a controlled release native or low phosphorus fertiliser in early spring. Overfeeding buys leaves at the expense of flowers.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after flowering to keep the shape tight. Avoid cutting into bare old wood, since it is slow to reshoot from it.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow this one as tube stock, so the plant that arrives is young: a small plant with a developing root system in a narrow pot. That matters more here than with most shrubs, because growth is slow. Expect two to three years before it reads as a finished feature plant.

Pot it up or plant it out within a few days rather than holding it in the tube. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse coastal and salt tolerant plants
• Plants suited to pots and containers
• Best plants for coastal gardeners
• Plants suited to balconies

Common questions

How big does it actually get?

About 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide in the ground, and noticeably less in a pot. Growth is slow, so plan on several years to reach that size rather than a single season.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. A brief white morning is survivable on an established plant, but repeated hard frosts in cold inland and southern gardens will damage the growth tips and set it back.

Can it live in a pot permanently?

Yes. A pot 400mm or wider with free draining mix will hold it for years. Refresh the top few centimetres of mix every couple of years and water more often through summer heat.