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Cyathodes juniperina

Common name:		Family:	Epacridaceae
Author:	(J.R.Forst.&G.Forst.)Druce.	Botanical references:	44, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Australia - Tasmania and New Zealand.
Habitat:	Forest and scrub from the coast to the montane zone on North, South and Stewart Islands of New Zealand[44, 173, 200].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Ericales. Epacris family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen shrub growing to 2m at a slow rate. . It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.

Edible Uses

Fruit.

Fruit - raw or cooked[193]. Rather dry, it is only 76% water which is low for a fruit. It contains (dry weight) 3.1% protein, 18.3% sugar and 23.7 % lipids[173]. The fruit is about 7mm in diameter[200].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a moist well-drained lime-free humus rich soil in a sheltered site in partial or dappled shade[11, 164, 200]. Succeeds in poor soils[193]. Plants are very susceptible to drought[200]. A good rock garden plant[11]. Slow growing.
This species is not very hardy in Britain, it might succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country otherwise it is best grown in a cold greenhouse[200]. Plants grow best in areas with moderate winters and cool moist summers[200].
Plants have very fine root systems and great care must be taken when transplanting them.
C. robusta is closely related to this species and is sometimes more generous with its small white fruits[182].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in an ericaceous soil mix, February/March in a cold frame[164]. Do not exclude light[164]. Germination can take place within 1 - 2 months at 18°c but often takes as long as 3 - 5 years[200]. Scarification will reduce the germination time and 2 or 3 periods of 4 - 6 weeks cold stratification alternated with 4 weeks warm stratification can also help[175]. Perhaps sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe would also be beneficial[K].The seedlings can be very slow to form roots and need to be potted up with great care[200]. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first 2 growing seasons and, when large enough, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Neither easy nor reliable[200].
Air layering[200].
Division of the plants as they come into growth in the spring. We have found it best not to dig up the main clump, but to tease out small divisions from the sides of the plant. Make sure that these are well rooted and pot them up in light shade in a greenhouse. Grow them on for their first summer in the greenhouse and plant them out in late spring, after the last expected frosts.

Suppliers

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

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

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.

[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.

[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[173] Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990 ISBN 0-340-508302
A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.

[175] Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Corydalis spp.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[193] Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. 1989 ISBN 0-207-14383-8
Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast

[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.

Readers Comments

Cyathodes juniperina

david nicholls (davidni@xtra.co.nz) Sun May 28 01:52:21 2000

Possibly Sheep proof

Cyathodes species are one of only two native genus mentioned in the Encylopaedia of New Zealand (1966 editor A.H.Mclinock) as being avoided by sheep. This is a very respectable source but they don't specify any species, it's possible not all have this very rare gift.

(The other sheep-proof one is cassinia, Cottonwood, I can confirm this is virtually the only shrub growing on New Zealand sheepfarms,but it seems to have no other uses except cows don't seem mad on it either, it is probably too insubstantial for an animal barrior)

I have not tried to grow Cyathodes yet, it does not even seem to be very available or mentioned much in gardening books despite being a native here, I don't know why.

I'm going to look into it as a farm hedge.

david Nicholls New Zealand

Cross references: Genera: cyathodes.

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