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Salicaceae FAMILY

Azara microphylla

Azara microphylla

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
GrowthSlow

This species is generally hardy in the open in milder regions of the temperate zone, tolerating temperatures down to about -15°c[1], though young plants are less hardy[2]. The new growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts[3]. Prefers a position in sun or light shade in a deep humus rich soil[4], but succeeds in ordinary garden soil[5]. Succeeds in almost any soil so long as it is not very wet or very dry[3]. Flowers better in a warm sheltered position[4]. Plants are subject to windburn if they are not in a sheltered position[4]. The plant is cultivated for its edible fruit in Chile[6]. The flowers are sweetly fragrant and vanilla scented[1, 7].

Propagation

Seed - can be sown in a greenhouse or cold frame at any time of the year, though late winter or as soon as the seed is ripe are probably the best times to sow[5]. It usually germinates within 1 - 3 months at 15°c, though it can take 18 months[5]. When large enough to handle, pot the seedlings up into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and consider giving them some protection from the cold for their first winter or two outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[3]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 7 - 10cm with a heel, late autumn in a cold frame[8]. Takes 12 months[8]. Layering in spring. Takes 6 - 9 months[8]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Azara+microphylla>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Shrubs. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1989 · ISBN 0-330-30258-2 ↩︎Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1,900 species and cultivars.
  2. [2]Gardening on Walls — Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. · Collins · 1983 · ISBN 0-00-219220-0 ↩︎A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
  3. [3]Climbers and Wall Shrubs. — Davis. B. · Viking. · 1990 · ISBN 0-670-82929-3 ↩︎Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.
  4. [4]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  5. [5]Growing from Seed. Volume 2. — Rice. G. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1988 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
  6. [6]Encyclopaedia Britannica. 15th edition. — ? ↩︎It contains a few things of interest to the plant project.
  7. [7]Scented Flora of the World. — Genders. R. · Robert Hale. London. · 1994 · ISBN 0-7090-5440-8 ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
  8. [8]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.