Practical
Plants

Muehlenbeckia axillaris

a deciduous member of the Muehlenbeckia genus in the family Polygonaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Foliage
deciduous
Growth rate
moderate
Height
0.3 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet and juicy[1]. The fruit is very small, only 3mm in diameter[3].

Plant part
Fruit

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A fast growing ground cover plant for a sunny position but it requires weeding for the first year or so[2][4]. Once established, it can swamp out small plants[2].

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber, Soil surface

Ground cover

Environment

Range
Australia to New Zealand.
Habitat
Gravelly and rocky places and open grassland southwards from 38° south in North and South Islands of New Zealand[6]. Scrub and river flats to the sub-alpine zone[1].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8 cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Pot up in autumn and overwinter in a cold frame. High percentage[7]. Plant out in late spring. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 5 - 10cm with a heel, October/November in a cold frame. High percentage[7]. Division in spring[3].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade[3]. Plants are not hardy outside the milder areas of Britain, but given a position sheltered from cold drying winds they tolerate temperatures down to about -15°c[3]. A climbing plant that supports itself by twining around other plants etc[5]. Plants can become invasive, spreading by means of underground shoots[4]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-340-508302

    ↩1↩2

  2. Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-304-31089-1

    ↩1↩2

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

    ↩1↩2

  5. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩

  6. Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961-00-00

    ↩

  7. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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