Details:

Coprosma virescens, mingimingi, is an upright shrub or small tree with attractive thin, pale-green leaves. Bark is mottled grey, pale-yellow and cream. The fruit are white or green-tinged, sometimes mottled with black. Thrives in cold conditions, partially deciduous putting the bold branch colour on show in winter.

Small-leaved coprosmas are good for revegetation projects, hedging, and adding texture to a garden. Mingimingi are evergreen and suited to full sun to part shade.  They produce berries from January to April that are dispersed by fruit-eating animals (frugivory).  They also provide habitat for New Zealand’s declining lizard and gecko populations. As attractors of these small animals, they are a pioneer shrub in revegetation projects. Mingimingi provides a tough shelter, providing good food for native birds and lizards, as well as ground cover for these.

Habitat: Lowland to lower montane. On well drained to poorly draining fertile soils (often overlying calcareous or base-rich igneous rocks). In forest and shrubland.

Flowering: Spring [September - November]
Fruiting:    Summer [January - April]

Tags: PoorSoils