Thomas's Pohutukawa

Thomas's Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa 'Thomasii') is the compact form of the New Zealand Christmas tree, and the one that actually fits an Australian backyard. Instead of the 15m coastal giant, it settles at about 4m tall and 3m wide, with dense dark green leaves, felted grey undersides and crimson bottlebrush flowers over summer. It is slow and steady rather than rampant, and salt, wind and drought barely register once established.

Why you'll love it

• Built for the coast. Salt spray and onshore wind are its natural conditions, so exposed front boundaries suit it where softer plants burn off.
• Summer flowers worth waiting for. Brush shaped red flowers cover the canopy through the warmest months, and honeyeaters work them all day.
• Small enough to plant near the house. At 4m by 3m it sits comfortably in a courtyard or a narrow side garden.
• Hedge it or grow it as a tree. It takes clipping well, so the same plant can be a 2m screen or a single specimen.

Where it works best

Coastal gardens and front boundaries. Plant it in the first line of defence against salt wind, sheltering softer plants behind.

Screening and hedging. Plant 1.5m apart in a single row. Being slow, the screen takes three to four seasons to close, then stays put.

Poolside planting. Leathery leaves, reflected heat tolerance and no invasive habit make it safe near paving and pool edges.

Feature planting. A single plant develops a broad rounded head, deliberate in a lawn or a large pot.

Growing Thomas's Pohutukawa in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering; part shade thins the canopy and the flowers. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and mediterranean gardens, most of coastal Australia. It handles light frost only, so hard frosting inland districts are a stretch.

Soil. Free draining is the one real requirement. Sandy coastal soil is ideal. On clay, plant on a raised mound with compost worked through: stagnant wet roots are the commonest cause of failure.

Water and feed. Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, then only in long dry spells. Feed lightly in early spring with a controlled release fertiliser; overfeeding gives soft growth and fewer flowers.

Pruning. Prune straight after flowering in late summer, when next season's buds are set. Tip prune young for a hedge, or lift the lower branches gradually for a small tree.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tube, 300mm and 45L sizes. Tube stock is young and single stemmed, the value option for a long boundary of a dozen plants or more. The 300mm is the everyday choice, already branched and ready to shape. The 45L arrives established, for immediate presence.

The first year goes into roots. Flowering usually begins from the third summer on smaller sizes and sooner on advanced stock. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Browse small trees for Australian gardens
• Add scent to a coastal garden bed
• How to prepare a new garden bed

Common questions

How is it different from a normal pohutukawa?

Size and pace. The species reaches 15m and needs a park. 'Thomasii' holds around 4m by 3m, so it works as a garden tree or a clipped hedge.

How far apart do I plant it for a hedge?

One and a half metres apart in a single row. Closer planting will not close the gap faster on a slow grower.

Will it flower away from the coast?

Yes, given full sun and free draining soil. Coastal conditions are what it tolerates, not what it requires. Hard frosts are the limitation, not distance from the sea.

Does it have invasive roots?

Not at this size. The full sized species can lift paving over decades, but a 4m compact form near a path or pool is fine. Keep it a couple of metres clear of drains.