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Coprosma propinqua - Cunn.

Common Name
Family Rubiaceae
USDA hardiness 6-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Damp places[11]. Gravelly places throughout New Zealand[225].
Range New Zealand.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Coprosma propinqua


http://flickr.com/photos/16921893%40N00/
Coprosma propinqua
http://flickr.com/photos/16921893%40N00/137374702

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Coprosma propinqua is an evergreen Shrub growing to 6 m (19ft 8in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in leaf all year, in flower from February to March, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is 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 is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Hedge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses: Coffee

Fruit - raw or cooked[173]. Sweet, but with little flavour[225]. The pale to deep violet-blue fruit is about 8mm wide[200, 225]. The roasted seed is an excellent coffee substitute[153].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye  Hedge  Hedge

Tolerant of pruning, it makes a good dense hedging plant[225]. A yellow dye is obtained from the wood, it does not require a mordant[153].

Special Uses

Hedge  Hedge

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Requires a moist, very well-drained neutral to slightly acid soil in full sun or light shade[200]. An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils[225]. Somewhat intolerant of frost, this species is only likely to succeed outdoors in the milder areas of Britain[11, 200]. Another report says that it is fully hardy in Britain[225]. It flowers freely in Britain, fruiting heavily if pollinated[225]. A polymorphic species, it hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200, 225]. Plants are tolerant of heavy clipping or pruning[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.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant 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.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

AUSTRALASIA: New Zealand (Chatham Islands Territory, North Island, South Island, Stewart Island)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Coprosma acerosaSand CoprosmaShrub0.5 7-10  LMSNM201
Coprosma areolata Shrub5.0 8-11  LMSNM101
Coprosma atropurpurea Shrub0.1 6-9  LMSNM101
Coprosma billardieriNative CurrantShrub3.0 8-11  LMSNM101
Coprosma brunnea Shrub0.1 7-10  LMSNM203
Coprosma foetidissima Shrub5.0 8-11  LMSNM101
Coprosma grandifolia Shrub5.0 8-11  LMSNM111
Coprosma hirtellaRough CoprosmaShrub2.0 8-11  LMSNM101
Coprosma lucida Shrub5.0 7-10  LMSNM201
Coprosma moorei Shrub0.1 8-11  LMSNM101
Coprosma nitida Shrub2.0 7-10  LMSNM201
Coprosma petriei Shrub0.1 6-9  LMSNM103
Coprosma pumila Shrub0.1 6-9  LMSNM101
Coprosma repensMirror Plant, Creeping mirrorplantShrub2.0 8-11  LMSNM101
Coprosma rhamnoides Shrub2.0 7-10  LMSNM101
Coprosma robusta Shrub5.0 8-11  LMSNM111
Coprosma rotundifolia Shrub2.4 8-11  LMSNM101
Coprosma rugosa Shrub3.0 6-9  LMSNM102
Coprosma serrulata Shrub0.6 7-10  LMSNM101
Coprosma virescens Shrub2.0 7-10  LMSNM101

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Cunn.

Botanical References

1144200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

david n   Sun Feb 25 08:06:04 2001

Coprosma propinqua var. latiuscula

I think it is possible the purple berries of this coastal Var of propinqua made me a little sick, laxative and weakening, there are several other possibilities. It tastes like C.repens(nothing special) but perhaps alittle better as weaker in flavour. Collecting them is also fairly time consuming.This plant is stock resistant once established, perhaps hedge potential in non extreme coastal(survives the most exteme exposure but will be prostrate. It is spongey, matress like and probably could be slept on if one was desperate to find a use for it.

david   Sat Oct 20 11:07:15 2001

The root bark of Coprosma propinqua contains Asperuloside,scopoletin,glucose and rhamnose (A New Zealand Phytochemical Register-Part 1 S Brooker B cain R Cambie,Tranactios of the Royal Society of New Zealand vol1 may 31 1963) The text does not say if other parts have been tested.

The best web site I know of for activities of plant chemicals is Dr Dukes Phytochemical and ethnobotanical database, I've not asked their permission to quote activities of above chemicals so won't do so. Some of the lists are huge and incomprehensible (to me) anyway.

diclaimer:It is quite likely injesting the bark could kill someone for all I know

The previous comment I made about C propinqua var. latiuscala being possibly poisnous appears to be false, poisoning by infected water was almost certainy the cause and I've tried them again with no noticable ill effect.

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