Characteristics of a representative of the flora: etymology of the name, place of growth, agricultural technology when growing metrosideros, breeding steps, struggle, species. Metrosideros (Metrosideros) is a plant that takes a tree-like, shrub or liana-like form of growth. It belongs to the Myrtaceae family, today there are up to 50 varieties, of which: 21 species can be found in New Caledonia, 12 varieties grow in New Zealand, 5 in Hawaii, and 4 in New Guinea. All other types of metrosideros are not uncommon in the small islands of the Pacific Ocean, and scientists are aware of one species that "lives" in South Africa. In all these territories, the seeds of the plant were carried by the wind or it was naturalized by man. Some of the species so adapted to the conditions in the new place that they began to multiply quite uncontrollably, turning into weeds. However, in their true homeland - in New Zealand, metrosideros are on the verge of extinction, as there they are eaten by ossums that were once brought to the islands.
The scientific name of the plant comes from the fusion of two Greek words metro and sideres, which translates as "iron" and "middle", respectively. By this the local population characterizes a very hard core in the trunk, which is similar in strength to iron.
In the genus Metrosideros, there are varieties that reach a height of 25 meters, but most of them look like spreading shrubs or evergreen epiphytic vines, that is, they grow on the trunks or branches of trees. The lignified shoots of the plant are very durable and therefore the wood is very expensive. For such strength, this representative of the flora is called "iron tree". In regions where climatic conditions are temperate, many small varieties are grown as a pot or tub crop.
The foliage of metrosideros is decorative, it has a hard and glossy surface of a beautiful rich green color scheme. The reverse side of the leaf is lighter in color and is often covered with short hairs. Variegated varieties are also known. The shape of the sheet plate is rounded or oval, the edge is solid, the top is pointed or blunt. The length of the leaf is 6–8 cm long. Metrosideros does not have a dormant period and does not shed its foliage.
When flowering begins, and it stretches from January to May (sometimes it lasts until May), the plant forms small flowers. Although it is difficult to strictly name a flower, such a formation is difficult, since there are no petals, but a bunch of long stamens appears. These stamens can be painted in a wide variety of colors: pink, snow-white, scarlet, cream or carmine red. Dense inflorescences of spike-shaped, capitate or paniculate form are collected from these flowers. Often, inflorescences are formed in the middle part of young shoots and from a distance they can be mistaken for fluffy brushes or brushes. The flowers have a strong and pleasant scent that can attract not only insects, but also small pollinating birds.
After the pollination process is completed, small fruits in the form of seed pods are formed on the metrosideros. As they mature, they turn dark brown. The capsules contain many small seeds that quickly lose their germination.
Growing metrosideros, home care
- Lighting and location selection. For this tropical plant, a sunny place is suitable so that the direct rays of the sun illuminate the metrosideros for several hours a day. For this, a pot with it is placed on the window sills of the windows of the eastern or western location. In the southern direction, shading is needed during the noon hours of the summer months. If there is not enough lighting, then flowering will not wait.
- Content temperature. In the spring-summer period, it is recommended to maintain room heat indicators (in the range of 20-24 degrees). With the arrival of autumn, you need to lower the thermometer to 5-10 units. If such a temperature difference is not ensured, then flower buds will not be laid, and flowering naturally will not occur.
- Air humidity when growing metrosideros should be normal. The plant copes well with dry air, but good ventilation must be mandatory. Otherwise, damage by harmful insects is possible. Only in the summer, when the heat values exceed those permissible for the "iron tree", it is recommended to spray deciduous and warm water every 2-3 days.
- Watering. During the period of activation of the growing season and flowering, the plant is watered once a week, quite abundantly using soft and settled water at room temperature. In winter, the frequency of humidification is reduced to every 8–10 days. The indicator for the next watering is the state of the substrate, it should only dry out slightly between wetting. Metrosideros steadfastly tolerates a small drought, but the stagnation of moisture in a pot or a stand under a pot for a plant is destructive.
- Fertilizers when cultivating the "iron tree" from spring to early autumn, they are introduced regularly every 14 days. Complex mineral preparations, devoid of lime, are used. Metrosideros responds well to organic feeding.
- General care. The plant has sufficient branching and without pruning and pinching of the shoots, but if the branches began to stretch very quickly, then pruning is still necessary.
- Transplantation and recommendations for the choice of soil. It is recommended that young metrosideros be replanted annually, as the root system entwines the provided soil. Transplant is carried out in the spring, as soon as the plant forms young foliage. When the bush acquires large volumes, then you can limit yourself only to replacing 5 cm of the top layer of the soil. Holes are made in the bottom of the flowerpot through which excess moisture will flow out. Place a layer of drainage material on the bottom of the new pot.
When filling the flowerpot, a soil with weak acidity for general purposes is used. But you can mix a substrate from the following components: turf soil, coarse sand or perlite, wet peat or humus, leafy earth (all parts are equal).
Reproduction of metrosideros with your own hands
To get a new plant with fluffy flowers, it is recommended to sow seeds or cuttings.
Blanks for cuttings are cut from August to March. Their length should not be less than 5–8 cm with 2–3 internodes, and it is advisable to take cuttings from lateral semi-lignified shoots. The bottom pair of leaves must be removed, and the cut site must be treated with a stimulant. Cuttings should be planted in pots filled with a moistened substrate made up of peat and river sand. Then the cuttings are covered with a glass jar or a cut plastic bottle, you can simply wrap it in a plastic bag. This is necessary to create conditions of high humidity.
The germination temperature should be between 20-24 degrees. As soon as signs of rooting appear (young new leaves), it is recommended to transplant the seedlings in separate pots, using a substrate suitable for adult specimens. Shelter is not needed. The metrosideros obtained in this way will begin to bloom in 2, 5–3 years.
Seed propagation is also carried out, but it is less effective than the vegetative method. Even from fresh material, only every 5th seed germinates. The seeds should be sown in early spring in a pot with a peat-sandy substrate. The seeds are deepened only by 5–10 mm, or they are distributed on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with it a little. The container with crops is covered with glass or plastic wrap. Airing is needed daily, and when the substrate dries up, it is moistened with a spray bottle. The place where the seed pot is kept should be with heat readings of about 21 degrees and diffused lighting. When shoots appear (after 2-3 weeks), the shelter is gradually removed, accustoming the plants to indoor conditions. When two pairs of true leaves are formed on a metrosideros seedling, it is recommended to transplant into separate containers. Such plants begin to bloom only from 3-4 years of age, but it happens that later.
Potential pests and diseases of metrosideros
This plant, despite its beauty, is not susceptible to most pests and diseases. But if the irrigation regime is violated, rotting of the root system (with excessive soil moisture) or defeat by spider mites, thrips, mealybugs, scabbard or aphids (with dry indoor air) can occur.
If the roots begin to rot, then you should remove the metrosideros from the pot, remove the affected areas, treat with fungicides and plant in a new disinfected pot and sterilized substrate. If harmful insects are detected, spraying with an insecticidal preparation (for example, Aktelik, Fitoverm and others with a similar spectrum of action) is performed.
Foliage can begin to dry out if metrosideros suffers from over-watering or a large amount of top dressing applied to the soil.
Facts to note about metrosderos
On the islands of New Zealand, the variety Metrosideros exelse, or as the local population calls it "pohutukawa", is used in religious rituals and the plant is associated with the transition of human souls to another world. For example, a very old tree of this species, growing on Cape Regina, is considered the entrance for the Spirits of the Dead when they march to their homeland - Hawaiki.
Populations of the felt Metrosideros are currently in great decline due to the fact that it is eaten by possums - exotic animals that were brought from Australia to get their beautiful fur coat. These small animals not only devour the foliage of the trees, but also dig holes, thereby weakening the root system.
Types of metrosideros
Kermadec metrosideros (Metrosideros kermadecensis) is a native of the Kermadec Islands. It has a rounded lush crown, in height the plant can approach 15 meters. It is distinguished from other types by more rounded leaf plates. It is also the only variety that produces bright red flowers throughout the year. In room culture, it is possible to grow a tree-like form:
- Variegata in which the foliage is painted in green color, and along the edge of the sheet there is an uneven beige or golden border;
- Lewis Nicholls (Gala) or it is called Lewis Nikkols, it is distinguished by a golden tint of the leaf, but there is a dark green edging along the edge.
Felt metrosideros (Metrosideros exelse) is also called high metrosideros. The native habitat falls on the lands of New Zealand. There, the plant is considered a sacred tree of the Maori people and is called "spray of the sea" or "hutukawa". Represents evergreen trees, the height of which does not exceed 15 m, with a rounded deciduous crown. When the specimen is still young, it has a shrub shape, distinguished by dense branches, but the main trunk, which then becomes quite powerful, develops later.
When such trees grow separately, then they have aerial roots, which serve to firmly hold the huge crown. It also contributes to planting the plant in the most windy and windy places. The leaf plates are painted on top in a dark green color, and the reverse side is gray, with woolly whitish hairs. The length of the leaf is about 8 cm, the shape is oval.
At the end of December or at Christmas, the tree is covered with multiple flowers. The entire crown becomes dotted with bright red-burgundy or pink flowers of a velvety appearance, but there are varieties with yellow flowers.
Known varietal species:
- Aurea, flaunts with flowers of yellow or golden color;
- Aureus (Aureus) leaves with a green background have a golden rim.
Hill metrosideros (Metrosideros collina). This variety can take both shrub and tree-like forms. Its height does not exceed 4 m. If it grows like a tree, then it has a large number of trunks. Small rounded leaf plates appear on the branches. When blooming, flowers are formed with a yellow, orange, salmon or red tint. They gather in cylindrical inflorescences. In indoor culture, the most famous hybrid is called Metrosideros Thomasii, which is up to a meter high and has red or orange flowers.
Metrosideros powerful (Metrosideros robusta) is sometimes referred to as Metrosideros robusta. It grows in the form of a spreading tree, the branches of which are covered with small wide leaves, which have a pronounced notch at the top. On young foliage, oblong in shape, there is pubescence with brown hairs, which disappear over time. With the arrival of November, large inflorescences, consisting of bright red or scarlet flowers, bloom on the plant.
Carmine metrosideros (Metrosideros carminea) is also called "Crimson Rata". It is a liana with crimson shoots and its branches are covered with small leaves with a glossy surface with a dark green color. If you grow this variety in a room, then there is a hybrid with a dwarf size Carousel, which blooms in February or early spring. Inflorescences are umbellate or spherical in shape, formed from flowers of red color.
Perforated metrosideros (Metrosideros perforata) has a liana-like form of growth and branches reach a length of 4 m. Shoots are lignified, branched. They are covered with small rounded leaves, not exceeding 1 cm in length. The reverse side of the leaf plate is spotty. Flowers with snow-white color, fluffy.
Spreading metrosideros (Metrosideros diffusa). Native growing areas are in New Zealand. An evergreen plant with a liana-like shape, while the branches stretch up to 3 meters in length. The shoot is quadrangular in cross-section, it has aerial roots. The surface of the leaf plate is glossy, the length is not more than 1 cm. Fluffy flowers with a crimson color.
Flowering metrosideros (Metrosideros florida) resembles New Zealand. It is represented by an evergreen liana, which has five-meter woody shoots, with excellent branching. The leaf plates are glossy, painted in green color, their shape is round or oval, they grow up to 7.5 cm in length. Fluffy flowers are distinguished by a juicy red tint with golden strokes.
Metrosideros sparkling (Metrosideros fulgens) naturally grows in New Zealand. Liana with green non-falling foliage. Its stems can reach up to 10 meters, the shoots are lignified, branched. Leaf plates of a rich green color, oval or obovate, with a pointed tip at the top, are arranged alternately. Inflorescences are formed in the form of a hemispherical head, they include fluffy flowers of a dark red tone.
More about metrosydros in the following video:
