Metrosideros Mistral

Metrosideros 'Mistral' is a very beautiful hybrid of the New Zealand Christmas Tree, an evergreen bush appreciated for its vibrant flowering, with large pompoms of scarlet stamens that are well highlighted by its tough and deep green foliage. This selection, with a fairly dense habit, has the advantage of resisting wind and cold well, down to -7°C (19.4°F) for short periods in very well-drained soil. A magnificent specimen to be planted in a large pot on a patio or even indoors in cold climates. It thrives in the ground in mild climates, in rather moist but well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. It is an excellent small tree for coastal hedgerows.

Metrosideros 'Mistral' was first discovered in 1970 on the Coromandel Peninsula, located in the north-west of the North Island in New Zealand. It is a spontaneous hybrid between Metrosideros excelsa and M. robusta. All these plants belong to the Myrtaceae family, like myrtles, eucalyptus and callistemons. The name comes from the Greek word "metra", meaning the heart of a tree, and "sideros", meaning iron, alluding to the hardness of the wood of these plants. Its vernacular name, New Zealand Christmas Tree, originates from its flowering period, which occurs around Christmas time in its country of origin.

The habit of 'Mistral' is bushy, rather upright, and even tree-like if the branches located near the base are removed. Its vegetation is naturally dense, and its growth is rather slow. It will reach a height of about 2.5m (8ft) with a spread of 2m (7ft) at maturity if grown in the ground. In a container, it will remain smaller. Its corky bark is grey-brown in colour. Over the years, aerial roots can appear at the base of the trunk as well as along its entire length and on the branches. This characteristic comes from Metrosideros excelsa, often epiphytic, developing somewhat like an ivy that clings to other trees to reach the light. The branches bear small, entire, oval, tough, slightly undulate, dark olive-green leaves throughout the year. They are lighter and velvety on the underside. They measure 2.5 to 5cm (1 to 2in) long and 1.5 to 2.5cm (1in) wide. The young shoots are sometimes pink and covered with fine reddish hairs that fall off over time, but often persist on the central vein and at the base of the leaves. Flowering occurs from May to July, and is more or less early depending on the climate. At the end of the branches, clusters of beautiful flowers with numerous long red stamens appear, forming a large scarlet pompom. They are very nectar-rich and attract certain birds and many pollinating insects. The seeds take one year to mature.

This Metrosideros is a magnificent bush to be planted without hesitation by the seaside, or to be grown as an orangery plant in cold climates where it will live for many years. In a greenhouse or conservatory, it will create an extremely decorative quartet with an orange tree, a Tibouchina, and a mimosa, evoking landscapes with exotic charm and fragrance. In mild climates, it can be used as a solitary plant or at the back of a bed. It can also be planted in an evergreen hedge, accompanied by a shrubby ceanothus ('Italian Skyes', 'Concha', 'Puget Blue', 'Skylark'), Banksia integrifolia, large Leptospermum (lanigerum Silver Sheen, Martini), or red-flowering callistemons (Callistemon citrinus 'Splendens', Callistemon viminalis).