Characteristics
A small evergreen tree. It grows 5-18 m high and spreads 3-5 m wide. The trunk is crooked. The bark is smooth and brown. The leaves are 2-8 cm long and 1-3 cm wide. They are oval and taper to the tip. The leaves are dark green. The flowers are 1 cm across. They are white and occur in clusters of 2-3. These are in the axils of leaves. The fruit is a berry. It is 0.6 cm across. It is round and black.
| Life form |
-
|
| Growth form |
|
| Growth support |
free-standing
|
| Foliage retention |
evergreen
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
3.0 - 5.0
|
| Mature height (meter) |
5.0 - 18.0
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
c3
|
Environment
It grows in tropical to warm temperate regions. In tropical Queensland it grows from 50-600 m altitude. It requires a semi-shady position and a well drained soil. It will grow in most soils. It is damaged by drought and frost.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
-
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
-
|
Usage
The leaves are used to improve the flavour of tea.
| Uses |
tea
|
| Edible
|
fruits
leaves
|
| Therapeutic use
|
-
|
| Human toxicity |
-
|
| Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
It can be grown from seed or cuttings. Plants respond to fertiliser and watering.
| Mode |
seedlings
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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