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Pentachondra pumila
Carpet heath is a small, mat-forming alpine shrub from Australia and New Zealand, grown for its white flowers and edible red berries. It needs cool, moist conditions and full sun, and is hard to keep in warm or dry gardens.
Pentachondra pumila, also known as carpet heath, is a small alpine shrub in the epacris family (Ericaceae). It is commonly found in Australia and New Zealand in areas of high rainfall, being known for its small white flowers as well as its red, hollow fruit that grows on branch ends. It is distinguishable as a prostrate, mat-like shrub, growing in rocky or boggy alpine areas. The fruit is edible and is a food source for many species of bird.
P. pumila requires open, sunny positions in areas that are subject to mild winters (no less than -5 °C), and cool, moist summers. A high rainfall is required as it is intolerant to drought. It prefers a gritty, peaty soil and rocky ground for establishment.
P. pumila occurs in areas above the treeline in cushion bogs, open snow tussock grasslands, and herbfields in Australia (Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales) and New Zealand (North, South, and Stewart Island). It is widely distributed through both countries in the aforementioned states, though less so in the North Island of New Zealand and New South Wales in Australia. It frequently grows in exposed, rocky sites or in poorly drained, peaty areas, and is commonly found on the nests of ants (genus Ochetellus). It is often confused with Cyathodes dealbata, which is similar in appearance and growth habit, though can be distinguished by the glaucus veins on the underside of leaves, which is not evident on P. pumila.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Pentachondra pumila 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.
