Metrosideros excelsa - New Zealand Christmas Tree

Lovely!

To see these in bloom in their native environment is quite a sight - I remember going down a switchback pass in New Zealands Southern Alps where there were genuinely hundreds of them in bloom!

I have a small M.umbellata (which is a little hardier) which I hope to bloom in the next couple of years............

That's pretty, Delonix :o)

Meanie:

Metrosideros excelsa is very widely grown along the California coast. Although, I did see many die (even large trees) in the freeze of 1990 in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's not a hardy tree at all. There's many large old trees here in San Diego, especially along the coast...of course they will never be damaged by cold here in San Diego. The very large, old trees are the most spectacular when in full bloom.

Actually, M. umbellata is much hardier than M. excelsa.

Terratoonie:

It's spectacular when in full bloom! Thanks! :>)

I'll settle for a little hardier!

I was reading on the internet that M. umbellata can be seriously damage by a temp of 24ºF/-4.4ºC. I guess it's not super hardy, like I thought.