Anopterus macleayana - Macleay Laurel
Family: Escalloniaceae

Not a laurel despite its name but a beautiful mountain plant with striking pinkish-red young leaves and stems.
The cup-shaped white flowers, 2cm across, appear in spring and summer, and by mid-winter have become slipper-shaped capsules up to 4cm long with pointed tips and up to 16 winged seeds.
From a straight single-stemmed young plant it develops into a sparsely branched slender tree of 5-10m in height.
The long, wavy, toothed leaves, clustered at the ends of the branches are usually light green but may redden with cold.
It prefers cool moist places, such as creek banks where it receives good light but little direct sun.
It inhabits the understorey of subtropical, warm- and cool-temperate rainforests.

Cultivation
In the ground it requires shelter from the sun, wind and frost with no risk of drying out.
Added soil nutrients are helpful but not essential.
Fresh seed germinates reliably after 1-2 months.

Planting
24.05.19 x20
04.03.20 x 5