Coprosma billardieri
Hook.f.
Rubiaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Native Currant
General Information
Coprosma billardieri is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 3.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Australia - New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria.
Habitat
Shady mountain gullies in moister forests to the montane zone[
157- Title
- Australian Native Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M.
- Publisher
- Collins. (Australia)
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- 0-7322-0021-0
- Description
- A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 3.00 m |
| Pollinators | Wind |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Requires a moist, very well-drained neutral to slightly acid soil in full sun or light shade[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Succeeds in most soils[
225- Title
- The New Plantsman. Volume 2, 1995.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Knees. S.
- Publisher
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 1352-4186
- Description
- A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Coprosma species,
].
Somewhat intolerant of frost, this species is only likely to succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of Britain[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Plants are hardy to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[
157- Title
- Australian Native Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M.
- Publisher
- Collins. (Australia)
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- 0-7322-0021-0
- Description
- A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.
] though this does not translate directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters.
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
225- Title
- The New Plantsman. Volume 2, 1995.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Knees. S.
- Publisher
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 1352-4186
- Description
- A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Coprosma species,
].
Plants are tolerant of heavy clipping or pruning[
225- Title
- The New Plantsman. Volume 2, 1995.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Knees. S.
- Publisher
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 1352-4186
- Description
- A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Coprosma species,
].
Plants are normally dioecious, though in some species the plants produce a few flowers of the opposite sex before the main flowering and a few hermaphrodite flowers are sometimes produced[
225- Title
- The New Plantsman. Volume 2, 1995.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Knees. S.
- Publisher
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 1352-4186
- Description
- A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Coprosma species,
]. Male and female plants must usually be grown if seed is required.
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet and juicy[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
,
157- Title
- Australian Native Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M.
- Publisher
- Collins. (Australia)
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- 0-7322-0021-0
- Description
- A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.
,
173- Title
- Native Edible Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Crowe. A.
- Publisher
- Hodder and Stoughton
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-340-508302
- Description
- A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.
], but with little flavour[
225- Title
- The New Plantsman. Volume 2, 1995.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Knees. S.
- Publisher
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 1352-4186
- Description
- A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Coprosma species,
]. The red fruit is about 7mm in diameter[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
225- Title
- The New Plantsman. Volume 2, 1995.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Knees. S.
- Publisher
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 1352-4186
- Description
- A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Coprosma species,
].
The roasted seed is an excellent coffee substitute[
153- Title
- Economic Native Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Brooker. S. G., Cambie. R. C. and Cooper. R. C.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 0-19-558229-2
- Description
- An interesting and readable book on the useful plants of New Zealand.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
A yellow dye is obtained from the wood, it does not require a mordant[
153- Title
- Economic Native Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Brooker. S. G., Cambie. R. C. and Cooper. R. C.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 0-19-558229-2
- Description
- An interesting and readable book on the useful plants of New Zealand.
].
Propagation
Seed - probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse or cold frame[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. Sow stored seed in spring in a cold frame[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Germination can be slow, often taking more than 12 months even when fresh seed is used[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots. Grow on the plants for at least their first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer. Give the plants some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, autumn in a frame.
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Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
