Forestiera neomexicana

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Forestiera neomexicana
Light:Full Sun Part Shade
Moisture:Xeric Mesic
Hardiness:6
Soil pH:5.6-8.4
Height:10'
Blooms:Mid Spring-Late Spring
Native to:
Edible Rating:PFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility Rating
Tea:Yes
Poisonous

Forestiera neomexicana (common name: wild olive)

Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[1]. 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 half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[2][1]. Easy.

Cuttings of mature wood, November to February in a frame or sheltered outdoor bed.

Cultivation: Succeeds in most soils[3][2][4]. Requires a sunny position and a well-drained soil[1]. Tolerates dry sites[1].

Flowers are produced in the axils of the previous years leaves[5]. Plants do not fruit well in Britain, probably due to a lack of sunshine[2].

Range: South-western N. America - Texas to New Mexico, west to California.

Habitat: Dry slopes and ridges below 2000 metres[6].

Edibility: Fruit[7][8]. Although only 4 - 8mm long[5], it has been suggested as a substitute for the true olive, Olea europaea[7][9][10].

Usage: Plants growing in the wild are used as indicators of underground water[8].

Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.

Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.

Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Early Fall

Flower Type: Monoecious

Also Known As: F. pubescens glabrifolia. Adelia neo-mexicana.

Links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
  3. Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
  4. Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Vines, Robert. Trees of North Texas. University of Texas Press, 1982.
  6. Munz, David. A California Flora. University of California Press, 1959.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
  9. Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
  10. Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.