Trema tomentosa var. Viridis - Poison Peach
Family: Cannabaceae
The poison peach is well regarded by rainforest regenerators for quick growth, shelter and shade and as a nursery species, and as a bird attracting plant.
The habitat is rainforest regrowth, in disturbed open areas of rainforest, by forest roads and in open forest country.
A shrub or small tree upto a height of 8m and a stem diameter of 15cm.
The bark is smooth and grey, dotted with small lenticels, arranged in vertical and horizontal patterns.
The grey or fawn coloured branchlets also feature lenticels.
Leaves alternate with a finely toothed edge, ovate shaped with a long pointed tip.
Leaf veins prominent on both sides, more evident underneath, particularly the lateral veins in threes.
Leaves resemble the invasive weed Lantana camara.
Small greenish flowers in short cymes, appear year round, though most often between December and March.
The fruit is a tiny black drupe with a single black seed.
The fruit matures between February and August and is eaten by a variety of birds; including brown cuckoo-dove, Australasian figbird, Lewin's honeyeater and olive-backed oriole.
Cultivation
Germination is not difficult from fresh seed or cuttings.
Trema tomentosa - Poison Peach
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