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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 contains 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.
 
 
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Other superior selections include;

  • Graptophyllum pictum - Caricature Plant
  • Eugenia reinwardtiana - Cedar Bay Cherry

Ask your local retailer for more superior selections

 

Alternative Plants

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.

Mystique
Photo: Mick Lohman
Alternative Plant Mystique
Ardisia macrocarpa 'Mystique'
Trees and Shrubs
 

Evergreen rounded shrub that grows to 2m. 'Mystique' has glossy green foliage and is covered with dainty tight pink bud flowers for many months of the year. This plant can easily be shaped to make an ideal feature, hedge or screen plant. For best results plant in full sun to partly shaded positions.

Slender Palm Lily
Photo: Macbird Floraprint
Alternative Plant Slender Palm Lily
Cordyline stricta
Trees and Shrubs
 

Cane like stems with thin dark green strap like leaves growing to 2.5m. It has sprays of purplish flowers followed by black berries in summer. Most suitable when looking for a shade tolerant alternative.

 
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