Herb: Mirror Plant


Latin name: Coprosma repens


Synonyms: Coprosma baueri


Family: Rubiaceae (Madder Family)



Edible parts of Mirror Plant:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet, but not much flavour. The orange fruit is about 10mm in diameter. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute. It is said to make an excellent coffee, though the seeds are rather small.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
2 m
(6 1/2 foot)

Flowering:
May to
June

Habitat of the herb:

Coastal cliffs on North and South Islands, south to latitude 41°50' south.

Other uses of Mirror Plant:

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 Mirror Plant:

Coastal cliffs on North and South Islands, south to latitude 41°50' south.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Coprosma repens:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.