Myoporum debile
Winter Apple
a perennial woody evergreen member of the Myoporum genus in the family Myoporaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Myoporaceae
- Genus
- Myoporum
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- evergreen
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 1 m
- Spread
- 1 m
- Fertility
- self fertile
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The fruit of this plant probably contains a liver toxin[5].
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Fruit - raw or cooked[10][11]. Slightly bitter[2]. A pleasantly salty-sweet flavour[6]. The fruits are 6 - 8mm long[6]. Caution is advised since the fruit probably contains a liver toxin[5].
- Plant part
- Fruit
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Used in the treatment of V.D. by the Australian Aborigines[3].
- Product or use
- VD
Environment
- Range
- Australia and New Zealand.
- Habitat
- Open forests, grassland and dry areas in Australia[3][8]. By the coast between Raglan and Kawhia in New Zealand[9].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 9+
- 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. Consider giving the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Pot up in the autumn. Good percentage[12].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Easily grown in most soils[4]. Succeeds in dry soils[7]. This species is not very hardy in mainland Britain, it succeeds outdoors on the Scilly Isles[1] but usually requires greenhouse protection elsewhere[1].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4
Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T. Australian Medicinal Plants.
Holliday. I. and Hill. R. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller Ltd. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-85179-627-3
Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-340-508302
Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-207-14383-8
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Carolin. R. & Tindale. M. Flora of the Sydney Region Reed. Australia. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0730104001
Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961-00-00
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00