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Coprosma petriei

Common name:		Family:	Rubiaceae
Author:	Cheesem.	Botanical references:	11, 44, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	New Zealand.
Habitat:	Lowland to higher montane grassland, stream margins, rocky places and dry river beds on North and South Islands[44].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Rubiales. Madder family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen shrub growing to 0.1m by 0.5m . It is hardy to zone 7. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen in August. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Wind. The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall, Ground Cover.

Edible Uses

Coffee Fruit.

Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet, but without much flavour[225]. The fruits vary in colour from white to blue or sea-green[225]. The fruit is seldom borne in Britain[208]. The fruit is about 12mm wide[200].
The roasted seed is an excellent coffee substitute[153].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Dye Ground cover.

A yellow dye is obtained from the wood, it does not require a mordant[153].
A dense carpeting plant, it can be planted about 25cm apart to form a ground cover[208]. The cultivar 'Violet Drops' is much more vigorous than the type, forming compact mats up to 2 metres across and making a very good ground cover[225].

Cultivation details

Requires a moist, very well-drained neutral to slightly acid soil in full sun or light shade[200]. Succeeds in most soils, so long as they are well-drained[225]. This plant has survived very dry conditions with us and appears to be very drought tolerant[K].
One of the hardiest members of this genus, it succeeds outdoors in the rock garden in many parts of the country[1].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200, 225], though it does not seem to cross with C. pumila, C. atropurpurea or any red-fruited species[225]. There are several named forms selected for their ornamental value[225].
Plants are normally dioecious, though in some species the plants produce a few flowers of the opposite sex before the main flowering and a few hermaphrodite flowers are sometimes produced[225]. Male and female plants must usually be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse or cold frame[K]. Sow stored seed in spring in a cold frame[200]. Germination can be slow, often taking more than 12 months even when fresh seed is used[K]. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots. Grow on the plants for at least their first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer. Give the plants some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors[K].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, autumn in a frame.

Cultivars

'Violet Drops': This cultivar is much more vigorous than the type, forming compact mats up to 2 metres across and making a very good ground cover[225].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Rubiaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[44] Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961
The standard work, in 3 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats.

[153] Brooker. S. G., Cambie. R. C. and Cooper. R. C. Economic Native Plants of New Zealand. Oxford University Press 1991 ISBN 0-19-558229-2
An interesting and readable book on the useful plants of New Zealand.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.

[225] Knees. S. The New Plantsman. Volume 2, 1995. Royal Horticultural Society 1995 ISBN 1352-4186
A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Coprosma species,

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Coprosma+petriei
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