A korimako (bellbird) in a karamu bush in the Eco Forest
Do you want more bellbirds in your autumn garden? Then plant karamu. Karamu are in the Coprosma genus, and New Zealand is Coprosma Central, with nearly half of all Coprosma species being endemic to New Zealand. The genus ranges from small shrubs to little trees. In the large shrub/small tree category are C. robusta and C. lucida, both known as karamu (as is C. rhamnoides). These shrubs are easily mistaken for each other, as they all have glossy leaves in the same tone of green, and colourful orange-red berries in autumn.
Coprosmas are (distantly) related to the coffee bush, and I have read of the early Pakeha settlers attempting to make drinkable coffee from coprosma berries – but I never read that anyone ever said it was any good. In the nineteenth century a variety of Maori medicinal uses for various species of coprosma were recorded (see New Zealand Medicinal Plants by S. Brooker, R. Cambie and R. Cooper). I was told about this myself in 1986 by a Tuhoe tohunga. He was pointing out the different medicinal parts of manono or papaumu (C. australis). I remember him emphasising that it was important to gather bark to be used medicinally from the north side of the trunk.
These days, the main reasons why anyone would want to give karamu a place in their garden is because the bushes provide such wonderful food for bellbirds. It is a good shrub to plant for low shelter on garden boundaries, especially suitable for a northern boundary as it will not block the sun. It is evergreen so provides good privacy all year – with the added bonus of happy chortling bellbirds in March and April.
Members of the karamu family of coprosmas
have glossy leaves and colourful berries.
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