Eupomatia laurina – Bolwarra

Eupomatia laurina - copper laurel
Eupomatia laurina - copper laurel
Eupomatia laurina - copper laurel

A spreading large shrub to small tree with large glossy green leaves and interesting cream flowers in spring and summer. The flowers have a sweet and fruity perfume, and are followed by edible fruit with a creamy pulp and many seeds like a guava. They are ripe when they are soft to squeeze, and can be eaten raw or made into jam and jellies. The fruit can also be dried and crushed to use as a flavouring.
It is a tropical to subtropical rainforest plant, but can easily be grown in any frost free area. It grows to around 3-8 metres tall, but some specimens can be larger still. It responds well to pruning if you wish to keep it to a smaller size, and can also be grown in a large tub or container which will also limit how tall it will grow. It can have more than one trunk, and the handsome glossy foliage will have red-bronze colouring in cooler weather. Grow in sun or shade, and does well in most soils. Mulch well to keep the soil moist and to deter weeds.
The bark was used for making fishing lines.

Family : Eupomatiaceae

Cultivar Name:

Plant Type : Small tree, Large shrub

Width : 5

Flowering Time : Spring, Summer

Soil Type : Sandy, Clay, Loamy, Sandy loam, Clay loam

Climate Zone : Sub-tropical, Warm temperate

Growth Habit : Evergreen, Dense foliage, Spreading

Soil Moisture : Well-drained, Moist moderate drainage

Special Uses : Edible, Street tree, Playground friendly

Scientific Name: Eupomatia laurina

Common Name : Bolwarra

Height : 8

Flower Color : Cream

pH Level : Acid, Neutral

Plant Environment : Low maintenance garden, Container growing

Light : Sunny, Light shade, Half shade

Lifespan :

Frost Tolerance : Tolerates light frost

Attracts Wildlife : Seed eating birds, Butterflies, Mammals