Weed Profile: Coral Berry

Coral berry, from the Family Myrsinaceae, is a small upright evergreen shrub with glossy dark green leaves. The species is also known as Christmas berry, Coral ardisia, Coral bush, Hilo holly and scratch throat. It is a weed of tropical, sub-tropical and warmer temperate regions and is a native to southern and eastern Asian countries including south-western India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, China, Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

Its alternately arranged leaves are relatively thick and have finely toothed margins. Its fragrant flowers are white to deep pink and are usually covered in numerous minute black spots. Its showy bright red berries, which hang in clusters, can remain on the plant for months.

It is a small upright shrub usually growing up to two metres in height. It prefers rich, well-drained, soils and it thrives in shaded positions in closed forests, near forest margins and along waterways. It flowers between winter and spring.

Coral berry is naturalised in the coastal districts of eastern Queensland, in north-eastern New South Wales and in the Sydney area. Globally, the species is a major weed pest, having become naturalised in southern Africa, south-eastern United States, the Mascarenes (a small island group near Mauritius), the Seychelles and Hawaii.

This species reproduces by seed. The seeds may be spread by humans (for example, in dumped garden waste), birds (the plant has a very attractive fruit), and by water movement, particularly floods.

Substantial information about the species is available on a number of websites. one of the best summaries available is at: https://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/coral-berry