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Common Name:

General Information

Lophomyrtus bullata is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 5.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

New Zealand.

Habitat

Coastal to montane forest, especially marginally, in North Island and occasionally in the north of South Island[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	5.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any soil of reasonably good quality[]. Prefers a sheltered position in full sun in a moderately fertile well-drained soil enriched with leafmould[, ].
Plants are scarcely hardy at Kew but they succeed outdoors in the milder parts of the country[], tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c[].
Growth can be restricted by cutting the plant back in spring[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. They taste very much like a guava when they are fully ripe[]. The fruit is a many-seeded berry about 10mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a warm greenhouse in late winter or early spring. 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. Give the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in sand in a frame[].
Cuttings of mature wood, late autumn in a frame[]. Basal cuttings are used[].
Layering.