Herb: Boobialla


Latin name: Myoporum tetrandrum


Synonyms: Myoporum serratum


Family: Myoporaceae



Edible parts of Boobialla:

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is about 4 - 6mm in diameter. Caution is advised, see the notes above on possible toxicity.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
5 m
(16 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

By the coast in basalt, silurian and red sand areas.

Other uses of Boobialla:

Plants can be used right on the coast as a protective screen from maritime winds, the roots also help to check coastal erosion.

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 Boobialla:

By the coast in basalt, silurian and red sand areas.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Myoporum tetrandrum:

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.