Metrosideros collina includes a variety of different sized shrubs, with beautiful bright red blooms, that are also bird attracting. It is a hardy species, easy to grow and thrives in Australian sandy soils. We like to claim this one as our own because it loves our Australian environment, but Metrosideros is native to New Zealand and so are commonly known as the New Zealand Christmas Bush.

There are a variety of Metrosideros from the newly available Velvet Sky to Spring Fire, Fiji, Little Dugald and Tahiti with Firecracker being harder to find.

• Velvet Sky has inky blue stems with blue velvet foliage. The shrub reaches 3M x 1.5M in width.
• Spring Fire is a taller, slimmer bush reaching 5M x 2M and is covered in dark green foliage all year round. New growth coloured lime green also thriving best in free draining soil.
• Fiji Fire has glossy green foliage with burgundy coloured new growth, growing 3M x 2M in free draining soil.
• Firecracker, growing 3M tall with red coloured new growth turning bright yellow and green at maturity, this form of Metrosideros not only showcases the stunning red flower but also brightly coloured foliage.

Metrosideros is great to use for hedging, screening, or a specimen plant. They have a habit of tightly dense growth which provides good privacy from neighbours or street views. Velvet Sky thrives in full sun to light shaded with the others doing well in full sun through to partly shaded areas in your garden. But of course, for a rich foliage colour and lively flowering, full sun is best for this species in general.

If you live coastal, this species will bring beauty to your garden too as they are salt and wind tolerant. With a variety to meet all size requirements it’s their beautiful flowers that steal the show. Attracting the birds, bees, and butterflies, Metrosideros provides not only a stunning display but brings life to your garden.

 

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