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Myoporum obscurum is a very rare spreading shrub or small dome-shaped tree from Norfolk Island, growing up to about 6 m. It is known mainly from a few wild plants, so cultivation is best left to conservation and specialist growers.
Myoporum obscurum, commonly known as popwood, sandalwood or bastard ironwood is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is a very rare shrub, endemic to Norfolk Island where it occurs in a few scattered locations.
Only a few specimens of Myoporum obscurum remain and only in a few scattered locations on Norfolk Island. The species was common on nearby Phillip Island in 1830, but along with most of the rest of the vegetation there, was lost in the 19th century due to erosion caused by the introduction of pest animals such as rabbits. In 2003 only 5 plants were known on Norfolk Island, all in the national park. Since then, a management plan for the species has been prepared and a number of specimens of popwood have been planted. It does not tolerate shade and is generally found on forest margins.
Mangrove Boobialla · Myoporum bateae · Myoporum betcheanum · Myoporum boninense subsp. australe · Boobialla · Myoporum bontioides · Myoporum brevipes · Myoporum caprarioides · Myoporum cordifolium · Myoporum crassifolium · Myoporum floribundum · Common Boobialla
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Myoporum obscurum 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.
