Herb: Tuhu


Latin name: Coriaria sarmentosa


Family: Coriariaceae



Edible parts of Tuhu:

Fruit - raw or used as a beverage. The pressed fruit is drunk raw or fermented into a wine. Use with great caution since most parts of the plant, including the seed, are very toxic and some reports suggest the fruit should not be used at all.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Open places, especially on debris slopes, from the coast to the upper montane areas on North, South and Stewart Islands.

Other uses of Tuhu:

A black ink is obtained from the leaves, it can also be used as a dye. The bark can also be used, it is rich in tannin.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow February/March in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°C. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Fair percentage.

Cultivation of Tuhu:

Open places, especially on debris slopes, from the coast to the upper montane areas on North, South and Stewart Islands.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Coriaria sarmentosa:

All parts of the plant, except the 'fruit' (actually the petals) are highly poisonous.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.