Botanical name:

Coprosma obconica

Common name(s):

Coprosma

About:

C. obconica is a rare and unique bushy shrub characterised by its small, divaricating leaves. This intriguing plant bears distinctive white flattened fruit that attracts attention, and it showcases mottled brown or green juvenile leaves that add to its visual appeal. The adult leaves develop in pairs and can grow up to 12mm long, exhibiting oval shapes with glossy surfaces, smooth margins, and a blunt tip that features a small, sharp point. Overall, C. obconica captures the interest of plant enthusiasts with its distinctive characteristics and growth form.

Natural habitat:

Occupying a wide range of habitats, from estuarine shrub-lands, braided river bars, lowland podocarp forest to montane marble/limestone/dolomite karstfields, and very occasionally ultramafic boulder-fields.

Growing environment:

Sun, Wind, Salt, Shade, Coastal & Free draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s North Island in scattered populations near Taihape and one near Masterton. In the South Island found from D’Urville Island and north west Nelson south to Southland and Otago, apparently being only absent from Westland and Stewart Island.

Height: 2 – 3.5m

Flowering:

April – August with small white flowers

Fruiting:

January - September

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bee food, Forests & Riparian plantings.

How to grow:

Reasonably easy from semi-hardwood or hardwood cuttings. Seeds do germinate easily but the plants are rather slow growing.

** Seed germinates without pre treatment. 4 weeks cold stratification will help speed this up though.