Bush Strawberries
Melastoma cyanoides

Family: Melastomataceae

What it is like

A medium sized shrub. It grows up to 2.5 m high and spreads 1-2 m wide. It has an open bushy habit. Young growth has rusty hairs. The leaves are simple and 3-12 cm long by 2.5-6 cm wide. Both sides of the leaf have a sandpapery texture due to rough hairs. Leaves are dark green above and paler underneath. The flower panicles are crowded and at the ends of branches or in the axils of upper leaves. There are up to 7 flowers in a group. The flowers are 2.5-3 cm across and white. The fruit are 16 mm long by 9 mm wide. They occur singly or in clusters. They can be in the axils of leaves or at the end of branches. The fruit are red. They have many small seeds inside. The fruit are edible.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in disturbed areas of tropical rainforest.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin), Indonesia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, SE Asia

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Otanthera bracteata Korth.; Otanthera cyanoides (Sm.) Triana; Otanthera queenslandica Domin.;