Golden fruit

Small to medium tree up to 25 metres in subtropical and dry rainforest north from Richmond River, NSW. Tends to grow in a pyramidal shape in the open. Leaves are simple, alternate, glossy, somewhat leathery and diamond-shaped with toothed edges and distinct venation, clustered at branch ends. Flowers are small and white, yellow buds when just forming, clustered in terminal heads, November to January.

Location: Riaweena St, The Gap. Photo: Matt Tomkins

Formerly Pittosporum

Formerly known as Pittosporum rhombifolium. Pittosporum meaning pitch-seed which refers to the resinous film covering the seeds and rhombifolium the rhomboidal shape of the leaves. It is hardy in fairly rich soils although it will not withstand waterlogging, however it likes plenty of moisture.

Tubestock. Photo: Robert Whyte

Flower buds

Can be a fast grower in well drained positions with plenty of moisture. Hardy in dry periods. Can be affected by scale, aphids, and therefore sooty mold. Common names include Queensland Pittosporum, White Holly, Hollywood. Auranticarpa means orange or golden fruit, pronounced aw-ran-tee-KAR-pa. Auranticarpa, a new genus since 2004, occurs mostly in monsoonal northern Australia, and has six species. A. melanosperma, A. resinosa and A. rhombifolia came from Pittosporum and three were new A. edentata, A. ilicifolia and A. papyracea.

Flower buds. Photo: Robert Whyte

Fruit

Fruit is a small orange-yellow pear-shaped capsule with black seeds. Ripe April to May. The berries are carried on the tree for several months. Successful garden and street tree because of its attractive foliage and fruit. To propagate dry the ripe fruit to split capsules then plant seeds immediately. Germination may take two to three months.

Fruit. Photo: Robert Whyte

Seed collecting and propagation

The orange fruits are about 9 mm and mature in autumn. Each fruit has 2-3 black seeds about 2 mm. As the fruit matures, it falls to the ground, opens and the seeds pop out. Best to collect mature fruit while still on the tree. Dry the fruits until the capsule opens. Cold soak the seeds for 3 to 4 days. Germination is slow, takes up to 5 months and has 50% viability. There is a mature tree next to the city-side carpark in Walton Bridge Reserve. It fruits well but the fruit is very high up so be prepared.

This handful of fallen fruit netted one seed. Photo: Anne Jones