Note: The photos on this post were originally misidentified as Decaspermum humile. Thanks to @nightjarnatives who corrected the id on instagram!
Trochocarpa laurina or ‘Tree Heath’ is a large shrub to small tree which loves the shade. I have recently spotted it growing under large Eucalyptus in full shade, it also enjoys dappled light. It is often hard to find a beautiful plant for a shady spot that ticks all the boxes. Pretty foliage and flowers and provides fruit for the birds.
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When new leaves appear they are varying from a shade of pink to red, similar to a Lilly pilly. The new leaves are delicate and silky with silvery hairs that are particularly appealing. As they age the leaves become green and shiny.
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Trochocarpa is derived from the Greek ‘trochos’, which means wheel, and ‘carpos’ which means fruit; a wheel of fruit! This plant is growing from a tall shrub to a medium tree of up to 10mts or to 15mts in its natural rain forest habitat from the south coast of NSW to Queensland.
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The common name for this plant is Heath tree but it is also known as wheel-fruit. It can take 2-3 years for the plant to fruit. These purple berries will attract fruit eating birds.
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Flowering predominantly in Summer by bearing small tubular white flowers, it can spot flower all year around.
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Can be used as under story planting and also useful as a compact hedge with width of approximately 2metres. It is susceptible to myrtle rust, this can cause moderate to severe damage and can need ongoing treatment. Otherwise this is a hardy species which deserves to feature more in residential native gardens.
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