Coprosma lucida
J. R. Forst. & G. Forst.
Karamu, Patutiketike
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(c) Joe Dillon, some rights reserved (CC BY)
(c) James Gaither, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Seeds - coffee
The orange fruit, about 12mm in diameter, can be eaten raw. It is sweet and juicy but has little flavour. Dry weight analysis shows 3.3% protein, 8.1% sugar, and 24.6% lipids. The roasted seed makes an excellent coffee substitute.
Where to Find It
It is a warm temperate plant. In New Zealand it grows from sea level to 1060 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 8-11.
New Zealand*,
How to Identify
A shrub or small tree. It grows 3-6 m high. The leaves are very shiny. They are large leathery and oval. The male and female flowers are on separate plants. The female flowers are in clusters. The fruit are orange-red berries. They are 8-12 mm long. They ripen after 14 months from flowering.
How to Grow
Requires a moist, very well-drained neutral to slightly acid soil in full sun or light shade. Succeeds in most soils. Somewhat intolerant of frost, this species is only likely to succeed outdoors in the milder areas of Britain. Plants have proved to be nearly hardy in an Essex garden. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Plants are tolerant of heavy clipping or pruning. Sometimes found as an epiphyte in the wild. 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. Male and female plants must usually be grown if seed is required.
Propagation: Seed is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse or cold frame. Stored seed should be sown in spring in a cold frame. Germination can be slow, often taking more than 12 months even with fresh seed. Prick seedlings out into individual pots once large enough to handle. Grow plants through at least their first winter under glass before planting out in late spring or early summer, and give some cold protection during their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of mature wood from the current year's growth can be taken in autumn and rooted in a frame.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Other Uses
A yellow dye is obtained from the wood and requires no mordant.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Coprosma lucida, commonly known as shining karamū, karamū, kāramuramu, shiny karamū, or kakaramu, is a shrub or tree endemic to New Zealand.
Notes
There are about 90 Coprosma species.
Names & Synonyms
Karangu
References (6)
- Char. gen. pl. 138. 1776
- Crowe, A., 1997, A Field Guide to the Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Penguin. p 20
- Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 224
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Salmon, J.T., 1989, The Native Trees of New Zealand. Heinmann Reid p 294
- Stewart, K., 1984, Collins handguide to the Native Trees of New Zealand. Collins. p 25
