Tall groundberry
Acrotriche aggregata
Family: Ericaceae
What it is like
An evergreen shrub. It grows to 2 m high and spreads 1.5-2 m. The stem is erect and branched. The leaves are oblong and get more narrow towards the ends. They are 1-3 cm long. The tops of the leaves are without hairs but the underside is more pale with a bluish colour. The tips of the leaves are sharp. The flowers are small (o.3 cm long) and green. They are like tubes. They occur in short spikes in the angles where leaves join. They are usually on older wood. The fruit are pea sized about 0.6 cm across. They are almost round. As they ripen they turn from white to red. They are shiny and bright red. There is one seed inside. The flesh is edible.
There are 14 Acrotriche species. They are in Australia. There are 4,050 species in the Ericaceae. Previously some of these were in the Ampetraceae, Epacridaceae, Monotropaceae and Pyrolaceae.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. A plant native to New South Wales in Australia. It grows in the rainforest. It can also occur in drier places. It prefers light to medium soils. It will grow on sandy infertile soils. They need to be well drained. It needs slight shade but will grown in an open sunny position. It is drought resistant and can withstand slight frosts.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
The fruit are eaten. They have a tangy taste.
Edible parts
Berries, fruit
How it is grown
It is grown by cuttings.
Fruit are produced March to July. Fruit can ripen almost any time fo the year.