Practical
Plants

Nertera granadensis

Bead Plant

a perennial member of the Nertera genus in the family Rubiaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rubiaceae
Genus
Nertera
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.01 m
Spread
0.1 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

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

Fruit - raw[2]. The fruit is a berry about 5mm in diameter with a single seed[3].

Plant part
Fruit

Environment

Range
New Zealand.
Habitat
Coastal to sub-alpine damp forest, shrubland, grassland, boggy ground and herbfield, North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands[4].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
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 shaded part of a cool greenhouse or cold frame[3]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a lightly shaded position 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 winter outdoors. Division in spring.

Cultivation

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

Requires a light well-drained soil in semi-shade and shelter from cold winds[3]. Plants are intolerant of excessive winter wet[3]. A prostrate mat-forming plant that forms roots at the nodes of stems, it grows well in a rock garden in areas where frosts are light and short-lived[3]. It is almost hardy in Britain, merely covering it with a pane of glass in the winter is usually ample protection[1]. A very ornamental plant.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

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