Herb latin name: Coprosma rugosa


Family: Rubiaceae (Madder Family)



Edible parts of Coprosma rugosa:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Freely produced in Britain, it is sweet but with little flavour. The fruit is white or blue and about 8mm long x 6mm wide. The roasted seed is an excellent coffee substitute.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
January to
February

Habitat of the herb:

Lowland to montane and lower sub-alpine grassland, shrubland and forest margins in North and South Islands.

Other uses of Coprosma rugosa:

Tolerant of heavy trimming, the plant makes a good hedge. 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 rugosa:

Lowland to montane and lower sub-alpine grassland, shrubland and forest margins in North and South Islands.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Coprosma rugosa:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.