False Huckleberry, Rusty menziesia
Menziesia ferruginea
Family: Ericaceae
What it is like
Menziesia ferruginea is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1.8 m (6ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1.8
Where it is found
Woodland shade below 300 metres in California.
Western N. America.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Fruit - fresh or dried. The fruit is about 5 - 7mm in diameter. The nectar has been sucked from the flowers to sweeten the mouth.
Nectar: produced in such abundance by some flowers that it can be harvested fairly easily.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The leaves are cardiac. They have been chewed to relieve heart pain and treat stomach problems. A poultice of the heated leaves has been applied to sores and swellings.
Cardiac: Used in the treatment of heart problems.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Requires a lime-free humus-rich moist soil in sun or light shade. Prefers moderate shade, especially on the roots, but it can also succeed in full sun. Grows well in a woodland garden. Dormant plants are hardy to about -20°c. The young growth in spring is susceptible to damage by late frosts but the plants are otherwise of easy cultivation. Flowers are produced on the previous years wood. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown in a shady position in a cold frame in the autumn but it can also be sown in late winter . Surface sow and do not allow the compost to become dry. Germination is variable and can take 1 - 2 months at 15°c. Keep the seedlings heavily shaded and prick them out into individual pots when they are 12 months old. Plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer once they are more than 15cm tall. Cuttings of semi-ripe wood, 2 - 5cm with a heel, May/June in a frame. Keep them shaded. The cuttings are very slow to root but usually a good percentage will succeed. Division in early spring just before active growth begins. Layering.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist