Herb: Boobyalla


Latin name: Myoporum insulare


Family: Myoporaceae



Edible parts of Boobyalla:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Juicy and sweet but with an aroma that is not entirely pleasant. Some people find the fruit rather salty and bitter. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter. Some caution is advised, see notes above on possible toxicity.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Habitat of the herb:

Seashores and inland areas. Found on dunes, headlands, estuaries and mangrove fringes.

Other uses of Boobyalla:

Plants can be grown as a hedge or screen, tolerating maritime exposure. The plant is fire resistant. Wood - hard. Used in turnery and cabinet making.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. 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. Consider giving the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Pot up in the autumn. Good percentage.

Cultivation of Boobyalla:

Seashores and inland areas. Found on dunes, headlands, estuaries and mangrove fringes.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Myoporum insulare:

Although no records of toxicity have been found for this species, the fruits of at least some members of this genus are known to contain liver toxins and can be harmful in large quantities.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.