strong>Bolwarra, Eupomatia laurina, also known as Native Guava and Copper Laurel is a primitive shrub or small fruit bearing tree, growing between 3 and 5 meters tall, often multi-trunked, although it can reach a height of 15 meters. Bolwarra is indigenous to eastern Australia, and New Guinea commonly growing as a understorey on the borders of tropical rain forest and likewise in moist eucalyptus forest.

Eupomatia laurina Leaves are shiny dark green, oblong-elliptic, 7-12cm long and 2-5cm wide. The pale flowers appear in summer, solitary or in pairs, 2cm in diameter. They appear in the leaf axils all along the stems, have no petals or sepals and are heavily perfumed.

Bolwarra Fruit

The globular to urn-shaped edible fruit of the Bolwarra is about 15-20mm in diameter with a sweet, aromatic flesh full of seeds, rather like a guava. It is born from the branches and trunk and turns from green to brown by winter.

Bolwarra fruit is best used in combination with other ingredients that compliment the strong tone of the spice seeds, and should be regarded one of the Australian spices. The whole fruit can be dried, crushed and used to flavor foods such as ice-cream.

The fruit is similarly used as a spice-fruit in cooking, included in beverages, jams, jellies and desserts. Bolwarra is quite good to eat raw, though the seeds are a bit of a bother.

Bolwarra Propagation Methods

Plant propagation is from fresh seed with a high level of germination and cuttings. Germination begins after roughly three weeks and is accomplished after five weeks. Cutting propagated trees produce fruit after two years. Seedlings take four or more to fruit.

The tree makes a suitable garden plant and will grow in sun or shade in most soils. It is frost sensitive and favors a protected, semi-shaded site. Eupomatia laurina is a member of the family Eupomatiaceae the genus Eupomatia.

Bolwarra, Eupomatia laurina

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