Myoporum deserti
| Myoporum deserti | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 10' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Myoporum deserti (common name: turkey bush)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. 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. Consider giving the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Pot up in the autumn. Good percentage[1].
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. The plant withstands temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[2] but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens because of our cooler summers and longer wetter and colder winters. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Easily grown in most soils[3]. Succeeds in dry soils[4].
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia.
Habitat: Loamy soils, mainly in arid regions[5].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked. A sweet flavour[6]. Caution is advised, see notes above on possible toxicity.
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no records of toxicity have been found for this species, the fruits of at least some members of this genus are known to contain liver toxins and can be harmful in large quantities[7].
Links
References
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ Holliday, Ivan and Ron Hill. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller, 1974.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Ewart, Alfred. Recording Census of the Victorian Flora. 1923.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Crowe, Andrew. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton, 1990.