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Common Name:

General Information

Elaeocarpus dentatus is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 18.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

New Zealand.

Habitat

Lowland forests on North and South Islands, south to latitude 44° 18' south[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	18.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a fertile humus-rich well-drained soil[]. Another report says that it requires a moist lime-free soil[].
This species is said to succeed outdoors in our mildest gardens, especially if given a sheltered position such as a south or south-west facing wall[]. It succeeds outdoors in a woodland garden in the mildest areas of the country[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - cooked. It is soaked, rubbed and sieved in order to remove the stalks and skins, it is then baked into a cake that has an oily flavour[, , , ]. The fruit is also pickled and used like olives[]. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A blue/black dye is obtained from the bark[, , ].
The bark is a good source of tannin[, ].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[]. Seed can be very slow to germinate, sometimes taking 2 years or more[]. 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.
Cuttings of almost ripe shoots, mid summer to early autumn in a sandy soil in a frame. The leaves should be left on the stem.[, ].