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Alseuosmia quercifolia
Oak-leaved toropapa is a small New Zealand shrub (to about 2.5 m) grown for its glossy leaves and fragrant flowers. It is easiest to grow in a pot in partial shade, with rich, free-draining soil.
Alseuosmia quercifolia, commonly known as oak-leaved toropapa, toropapa, and karapapa (Māori), is a species of plant in the family Alseuosmiaceae. It grows as a shrub, reaching a height of 2.5 m, and has variably shaped glossy green leaves. Flowering begins in spring (in the southern hemisphere), producing fragrant pink flowers which become red berries in Autumn. Endemic to New Zealand, it is found only in the upper half of the North Island - predominately in the Waikato region.
Currently classified as "Not threatened" by the NZTCS, it was first described in 1839 by Allan Cunningham, before being demoted to a hybrid by Rhys Gardner in 1978 and then reinstated by M. F. Merrett and B. D. Clarkson in 2000.
Can be cultivated from both seed and cuttings, the seeds germinating in spring and cuttings taking 5 - 8 weeks for root development. Seedlings can be easily identified by their red petioles and white veins. Growing from cuttings is reported to have a 100% success rate, whereas growing from seed, even with the perfect conditions of low light, 13˚C temperature and soaked in Gibberellic acid, gains only a 65% success rate. It is easiest to grow in pots, but if planted out needs a partial shade and rich soil. A. quercifolia is also, however, prone to sudden collapse.
A. quercifolia is found only in the North Island of New Zealand North of 38˚S, though is not found in the Coromandel or Bay of Plenty. It has been recorded on Great Barrier Island and Waiheke Island but is most common in lowland forest in the Waikato region. Its preferred habitat are areas which have more than 1100mm in annual rainfall, slope southward, are cool, and are free draining.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Alseuosmia quercifolia by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
