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Shoe-button Ardisia

Shoe-button Ardisia
Photo: Sheldon Navie
Invasive Plant
Shoe-button Ardisia
Ardisia elliptica
 

Evergreen shrub growing to 4m in height with elongated oval leaves that are leathery and hairless. Young foliage is reddish but matures to midgreen. Clusters of white-pink flowers from at the branch tips. Fruit is green at first but matures through red and finally to a dark purplish black and contain a single seed.

 

HOW IT SPREADS

  • Birds are attracted to the plentiful berries and distribute them widely.
  • Other fruit eating animals also ingest the berries and aid in dispersal.
 
 
Grow Me Instead
 

Other superior selections include;

  • Pleomele angustifolium - Native Dracaena
  • Larsenaikia jardinei - Shiny Leaved Larsenaikia
  • Rhaphiolepis indica 'Intermedia' - Indian Hawthorn

Ask your local retailer for more superior selections

 

Alternative Plants

Cedar Bay Cherry
Photo: Macbird Floraprint
Alternative Plant Cedar Bay Cherry
Eugenia reinwardtiana
Trees and Shrubs
 

Rounded medium shrub growing 2-5m with dark green leaves, pretty white flowers and small shiny red edible fruit to 2cm. The plant is slow growing at first and the fruit are considered to be very tasty.

Lilly Pillies
Photo: Macbird Floraprint
Alternative Plant Lilly Pillies
Syzygium australe cultivars
Trees and Shrubs
 

This superb Australian native rainforest plant has glossy green foliage, a profusion of fluffy white flowers and small colourful berries. There are many different cultivars of this plant with a wide range of growth habits, foliage types and berry colours. Many make highly desirable hedges and screens. 'Elite', 'Bush Christmas' and 'Hinterland Gold' are three of many suitable selections.

Native Gardenia
Photo: Macbird Floraprint
Alternative Plant Native Gardenia
Atractocarpus fitzalanii Syn. Randia fitzalanii
Trees and Shrubs
 

Beautiful small tree growing to 8m. Large glossy green leaves form on naturally well shaped branches. Bears terminal clusters of fragrant white flowers which are followed by greenish brown berries. This tree should be more widely used in the Sub-Tropics.

 
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