Herb: Water Bush


Latin name: Myoporum montanum


Synonyms: Myoporum acuminatum


Family: Myoporaceae



Edible parts of Water Bush:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Bitterly aromatic and salty sweet. The purplish fruit is 5 - 7mm in diameter. Caution is advised, see notes above on toxicity.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
2 m
(6 1/2 foot)

Habitat of the herb:

Sandy loams. Usually found in inland woodlands, but it is also sometimes found near the coast.

Other uses of Water Bush:

The plant can be used as a hedge or screen. Wood - soft but tough.

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 Water Bush:

Sandy loams. Usually found in inland woodlands, but it is also sometimes found near the coast.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Myoporum montanum:

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.