Ugni sp. aff. molinae [Jim Gerdemann form]

Another intriguing plant shared with us by the late Jim Gerdemann - he couldn't remember exactly what this was or where he got it. All the more reason to take cuttings of it, I thought! In his garden it was a small, open, 12' tree, and reminded me of some of the other Chilean Myrtaceae like Luma or Amomyrtus. Interestingly its growth habit for me so far is decidedly shrubby, and no taller than 2 - 3', and it may be that it was only treelike in the Gerdemann Garden because of their magical perfect climate. Having observed it for several years, I'm now quite certain it is another form of Ugni molinae, its leaves being rounded rather than pointed, and less bronzy than the usual form of U. molinae I've seen in cultivation. It is also more apt to sucker from the base, another characteristic of U. molinae. The cute flowers and edible berries are both a match for U. molinae as far as I can tell. It is top hardy to about 15 °F.