Tuhu

Medicinal Uses

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit | Edible Uses: Fruit - raw or used as a beverage[11, 46, 61, 105, 153]. The pressed fruit is drunk raw or fermented into a wine[2]. Use with great caution since most parts of the plant, including the seed[173], are very toxic and some reports suggest the fruit should not be used at all[11].

Cultivation

Prefers a fairly good loamy soil in a sunny sheltered position[11, 164, 200. Succeeds in light shade[200]. This species is not very hardy in Britain, it tolerates temperatures down to about -5°c and succeeds outdoors from Sussex and westwards[200]. There is some confusion over the name of this species, some botanists unite this species with the S. American C. ruscifolia whilst others maintain that they are distinct[11, 200]. The roots of plants in this genus bear nitrogen-fixing nodules[218]. Whilst much of the nitrogen will be utilized by the growing plant, some of it will become available for other plants growing nearby[K].

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant, except the 'fruit' (actually the petals) are highly poisonous[61, 153, 173].

Habitats

Open places, especially on debris slopes, from the coast to the upper montane areas on North, South and Stewart Islands[44].