Herb latin name: Elaeocarpus dentatus


Family: Elaeocarpaceae



Edible parts of Elaeocarpus dentatus:

Fruit - cooked. It is soaked, rubbed and sieved in order to remove the stalks and skins, it is then baked into a cake that has an oily flavour. The fruit is also pickled and used like olives. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
18 m
(59 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Lowland forests on North and South Islands, south to latitude 44° 18' south.

Other uses of Elaeocarpus dentatus:

A blue/black dye is obtained from the bark. The bark is a good source of tannin.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Seed can be very slow to germinate, sometimes taking 2 years or more. 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 almost ripe shoots, August/September in a sandy soil in a frame. The leaves should be left on the stem.

Cultivation of Elaeocarpus dentatus:

Lowland forests on North and South Islands, south to latitude 44° 18' south.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Elaeocarpus dentatus:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.