Luma Berry

Common Names: Chilean Myrtle, Arrayán, Temu, Luma Berry

Cutting grown. Excellent hedging plant.

Chilean Myrtle is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Andes between Chile and Argentina. Known for its beautiful smooth, cinnamon-orange bark that develops as it matures, it also produces sweet, edible dark purple berries. It handles Perth's climate well with proper water and light shade during hot spells.

Features:

Ideal prune height range: 2-4m

pH growing conditions: 5.5 to 6.5

Shade or full sun: Full sun to part shade (protect from harsh afternoon summer sun in Perth)

Minimum pot year 5: 45L pot

Time to fruit age: 2-3 years from seedling

Cold and heat tolerance: Highly frost hardy down to -7°C once established; handles Perth summer heat well, though young foliage benefits from shelter during extreme heatwaves.

Clay tolerance: Moderate to high; adapts reasonably well to clay soils provided there is adequate drainage and no prolonged waterlogging.

Luma trees grow at a moderate rate and form a dense, bushy shape. They produce fragrant white flowers in late summer, followed by small, glossy purple-black berries. The fruit has a sweet, aromatic, aromatic-spicy flavour and can be eaten fresh, dried, or made into jams and beverages. Leaves can also be dried and brewed into an aromatic herbal tea.

Interesting Notes:

In its native habitat, mature trees create striking forests famous for their glowing orange trunks. The aromatic leaves are traditionally used in folk medicine, and the berries are rich in antioxidants.

A versatile choice for rare fruit collectors, edible hedging, or inclusion in a temperate-to-subtropical food forest.

Limited stock. Pickup from Parkwood, WA. Delivery to Perth Metro only.

Keywords: Luma berry, Chilean myrtle, Luma apiculata, rare fruit tree Perth, edible hedge, exotic berry tree