Aristotelia serrata
| Aristotelia serrata | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 25' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Aristotelia serrata
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Once the plants are at least 20cm tall, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Consider giving them some protection from the cold for at least their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[1].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth in early winter[2]. Take cuttings 15 - 30cm long and plant them in pots or the open soil in a greenhouse. They normally root very easily and can be potted up in early summer then planted out late the following spring[K].
Cultivation: Prefers a slightly acid, moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun with shelter from cold drying winds[3]. Plants grow best in light shade[4].
Plants are only hardy in the milder and moister areas of Britain[2][1], growing well in light woodland[5]. If cut back in severe winters they will often resprout from the sturdier branches[4]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K].
In its native New Zealand, this is one of the first plants to colonize areas of cleared woodland or waste ground[4].
Plants do not really require pruning[4].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Range: New Zealand.
Habitat: Forest and scrub from lowland to montane areas in North, South and Stewart Islands[6][7].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[8][9][10][7]. A delicious taste[11]. The fruit is about 7mm in diameter[3].
Medicinal: Antirheumatic, ophthalmic, poultice[10].
Usage: Yields a blue/black dye[11]. No further details are given.
The wood is used in cabinet making, turnery, inlay etc[9][10] as well as for making charcoal[9][12].
Pollinators: Bees, insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Dioecious
Also Known As: A. racemosa. Dicera serrata.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Grey-Wilson, Christopher and Victoria Matthews. Gardening on Walls. Collins, 1983.
- ↑ Taylor, Jane. The Milder Garden. Dent, 1990.
- ↑ Allan, Harry. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer Publications, 1961.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Crowe, Andrew. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton, 1990.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Brooker, Stanley. Economic Native Plants of New Zealand. Oxford University Press, 1991.
- ↑ Laing, Robert. Plants of New Zealand. Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd, 1907.