Herb latin name: Coprosma lucida


Family: Rubiaceae (Madder Family)



Edible parts of Coprosma lucida:

Fruit - raw. Sweet and juicy, but with little flavour. Dry weight is 3.3% protein, 8.1% sugar and 24.6% lipids. The orange fruit is about 12mm in diameter. The roasted seed is an excellent coffee substitute.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
5 m
(16 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Forest and shrubby areas, especially marginal, to the montane zone. Found throughout New Zealand.

Other uses of Coprosma lucida:

A yellow dye is obtained from the wood, it does not require a mordant.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse or cold frame. Sow stored seed in spring in a cold frame. Germination can be slow, often taking more than 12 months even when fresh seed is used. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots. Grow on the plants for at least their first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer. Give the plants some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, autumn in a frame.

Cultivation of Coprosma lucida:

Forest and shrubby areas, especially marginal, to the montane zone. Found throughout New Zealand.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Coprosma lucida:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.