Metrosideros
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Metrosideros
- From: M* F*
- Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 11:15:57 -1000 (HST)
On Tue, 19 Dec 2000, Tony & Moira Ryan wrote:
> Charles Dills wrote:
> > > its brilliant scarlet at the appropriate season. It would be
> > > presumably
> > > limited in the States by its requirements for a relatively warm
> > > climate
> > > (here it is naturally confined to the warmer districts of North
> > > Island,
> > > though it can be coaxed to grow somewhat further south). My mind
> > > sidewalk!
> >
> > +++++-----------
> > We have a Metrosideros excelsus growing at our ornamental
> > horticulture unit. I have a picture on my page.
>
> I am sure it would be quite happy anywhere in coastal California. In
> nature it is pretty well confined to the coast and loves to grow on
> cliffs with its roots often crawling exposed down the rock face. Around
> Welligton harbour, though a good deal south of its natural home, it has
> natualized very well and is also a feature in many seaside parks. Quite
> a few have also been planted in home gardens in the area, but most
> gardeners live to regret both the size and their propensity for
> _dropping_ (twigs, leaves buds and spent flowers) which never seeems to
> stop year round.
How funny. I found one growing on the Palo Alto side of the Dunbarton
Bridge. I stopped to see what was at the wetlands preserve and look for
Artemia (sorry I am a fish person also). I saw it and realised what is
was right away. A species of Metrosideros is very common in Hawaii
(collinia var polymorpha not sur eonthe spelling as I am at my desk at
work) and there were two other species found here usually in the higher
elevations in bogs ets (tremuloides and another that I forget). Our most
common species has many ecotypes/ecomorphs and is common form sea level up
to the treeline at 9000 feet in elevation. I suspect that these high
elevation ecomirphs should be frost tolerant and able to manage in most of
the cool areas with an occasional frost (they manage that and snow on the
flanks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea).
MTF
