Description
Metrosideros excelsa ‘Māori Princess’ is a refined cultivar selected for its upright, narrow growth habit, making it particularly well-suited for constrained spaces and urban environments. Like the traditional pōhutukawa, it is hardy and wind-tolerant, producing vibrant scarlet-red flowers from early to mid-summer that attract nectar-feeding birds and add striking seasonal colour.
A standout feature of ‘Māori Princess’ is its clean form—it does not develop the untidy aerial roots often seen in other varieties, making it an excellent street tree. Its foliage consists of deep green leaves with elegant silver-grey undersides, offering year-round visual appeal.
This cultivar was selected from a large, mature tree—believed to have been planted in the 1940s—located on Brougham Street in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Since its discovery, ‘Māori Princess’ has become a popular choice for both public and private plantings, offering structure, beauty, and resilience.
EverGreen
Height 8m
Width 5m
Estimate after 10 years
