Botanical name:

Lophomyrtus bullata

Common name(s):

Ramarama

About:

A shrub or small tree that is easily recognised by its small, ovate, shiny, and blistered reddish leaves. This plant is commonly found in lowland forests, particularly in the top regions of the South Island and throughout the North Island of New Zealand. During the months of November to March, beautiful white or pale pink cup-shaped flowers bloom, followed by the development of dark red or purple seeded berries in January that eventually turn black. This plant provides a lovely contrast in colour, making it an excellent choice for enhancing gardens and landscaping projects.

Natural habitat:

Coastal to montane forest and shrub-land. Often a locally conspicuous component of the understory of lowland Podocarp riparian forest. Ramarama also occasionally grows on in suitable sites in slope forest, and in wetter areas is sometimes a common component of regenerating shrub-land in cut over forest. Where it meets with rohutu (Lophomyrtus obcordata) the hybrid L. ×ralphii is often commonly found. Sometimes Lophomyrtus xralphii is locally dominant occurring in places where ramarama is scarce or has seemingly died out.

Growing environment

Frost, Sun, Salt, Wind, Coastal, Free draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s North and South Islands. Scarce in the South Island where it ranges to about North Canterbury and Greymouth

Height: 6m

Flowering: 

November – March with a white coloured flower/s

Fruiting:

January – June with a dark red/purple to black coloured berries.

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bee food & Riparian plantings.

How to grow:

Easily grown from fresh seed. Can also be grown from semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings. Ramarama (Lophomyrtus bullata) is an attractive and remarkably hard shrub that does well when planted in a semi-shaded site, in a free draining, moist, fertile soil enriched with leaf litter and compost. It is also surprisingly drought tolerant. On account of its bullate (“bubbly”) leaves and conspicuous flowers ramarama is a very attractive plant that is well worth growing.

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