Herb latin name: Coprosma pumila


Synonyms: Coprosma perpusilla, Coprosma repens


Family: Rubiaceae (Madder Family)



Edible parts of Coprosma pumila:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet, but with little flavour. The orange-red fleshy fruit is about 7mm in diameter, though forms with fruits up to 13mm have been seen. The roasted seed is an excellent coffee substitute.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
8 cm
(3 1/4 inch)

Habitat of the herb:

Higher montane to sub-alpine grassland, North, South and Stewart Islands.

Other uses of Coprosma pumila:

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 pumila:

Higher montane to sub-alpine grassland, North, South and Stewart Islands.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Coprosma pumila:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.