Herb: Rimu


Latin name: Dacrydium cupressinum


Family: Podocarpaceae (Podocarpus Family)



Edible parts of Rimu:

Fruit - raw or cooked. It can be somewhat constipating. A resinous substance from the young branches has been used to make an alcoholic beverage resembling spruce beer. The resin is bitter but edible

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
30 m
(98 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Lowland and montane forests to 800 metres, on North, South and Stewart Islands.

Other uses of Rimu:

The heartwood is extremely resinous and is used as a torch. Tannin is obtained from the bark. Wood - beautifully marked. Much used for construction, railway sleepers, furniture etc.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a freely draining compost. It usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 20°C. Another report says that the seed can be very slow to germinate and that it is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. 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 short leading shoots in early autumn.

Cultivation of Rimu:

Lowland and montane forests to 800 metres, on North, South and Stewart Islands.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Dacrydium cupressinum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.