See text Metrosideros /ˌmɛtrəˈsɪdərəs, -troʊ-/[3] is a genus of approximately 60 trees, shrubs, and vines in the family Myrtaceae, mostly found in the Pacific region.

The seeds can also survive freezing temperatures, and up to 30 days submerged in salt water, and still germinate,[4] which probably accounts for their wide distribution.

Despite the clear propensity towards long-distance dispersal, the genus does not occur in mainland Australia.

This is very curious considering that Metrosideros is one of the most widely spread plants in the Pacific, and is not present in Australia today.

[5] Metrosideros are often cultivated for their showy flowers, as street trees or in home gardens.

It has been planted successfully in the north of Spain[7] and on the Scilly Isles off the south-west coast of Britain,[8] but the species is considered an invasive pest in parts of South Africa and in the Azores.