Family
Escalloniaceae

Distribution
Found in coastal to mountain forests throughout New Zealand.

Description
A small tree up to 5m high, but with a very different juvenile and adult form - when young it is almost divaricating: {To spread apart; branch; diverge} but by adulthood has become a clear, single-trunked tree. Its soft leaves are a mid to lighter green with a mottled darker marbling, and have fine, serrated edges becoming larger - 5cm long x 2-3cm wide - and thicker and glossier when older. It has small, star-like, white, quite prominent flowers in late spring through to early summer, followed by black berries around 5-6mm wide from mid-summer to mid-autumn.

Cultivation
Carpodetus serratus prefers a deeply dug, good soil and must be kept moist as it will show stress very quickly - in the form of shrivelled leaves - if it becomes too dry. Plant in a sheltered position where it can remain moist and is wind protected, sun or shade is fine and it can withstand frost.
Suits a gully, pond or wetland edge alongside other moisture-loving species, though if established elsewhere once a tree can be underplanted with ferns and grasses.