Attractive to birds

Shrub to about 3 metres in warmer rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest; widespread, north from Bega district, NSW. Leaves are simple, opposite, hairy and soft, pale green in colour, obovate to elliptic, about 5 to 10 cm in length. Propagation easy from fresh seed. Cuttings may strike. Flowers are white-pale yellow, small in late summer. Fruit is edible although unpleasant, attractive to birds.

Photo: Robert Whyte

Said to flower February to April, however, these flowers were photographed in spring. Photo: Robert Whyte

Seed collecting and propagation

Green fruit turning white-yellow when ripe; ovoid, ribbed containing two seeds. Remove flesh from seeds. Germination take 8 to 20 weeks. Or propagate from cuttings, but these are slow to strike.

Fruit. Photo: John Abbott