Common Name: Cranberry Heath

General Information

Astroloma humifusum is a mat-forming, evergreen shrub with ascending branches and prickly leaves; it can grow up to 50cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. Although difficult to cultivate, the plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.

Habitat

Often grows in disturbed sites on ridges and slopes in dry sclerophyll forest, over sandstone, shales or basalt[]. In heathland and open forests[, ]. Also found on cleared land in a range of soils including sandstone, shale and heavy clay[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.20 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Astroloma humifusum is found in the warm temperate regions of southeast Australia where it grows at elevations up to 800 metres in areas where the mean annual rainfall is in excess of 700mm. It can tolerate occasional frosts down to around -7°c in Australian gardens, though would be likely to succumb at higher temperatures in areas where the winter was long or wet[, , ].
Prefers a position in full sun, tolerating light shade[]. Succeeds in most well-drained soils[]. Established plants are moderately drought tolerant[].
The plants have a very fine root system which makes transplanting difficult[].
Plants can flower all year round in Australian gardens[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. A sweet viscid pulp[, , , , ]. The taste is somewhat like apples[]. The fruit is a drupe about 7 - 11mm wide[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed has a hard coat and some form of scarification is necessary or the seed can take up to 5 years to germinate. Two or three periods each of 4 - 6 weeks cold stratification can reduce the time taken to germinate[]. As soon as 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. When large enough, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.
Cuttings of firm young tip growths[]. It is very difficult to obtain suitable wood[] and the cuttings are slow to root[].