Duboisia myoporoides – Corkwood (seed)

Description

Duboisia myoporoides is a member of the Solanaceae family, native to eastern Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia. It is reported that Aboriginals used this species as a narcotic. Holes were made in the trunk of the tree and filled with water. The following day, the liquid was drunk, producing a stupor.

The leaves of Duboisia myoporoides contain scopolamine (hyoscine) and this species is grown commercially for extraction of this alkaloid for use in pharmaceuticals for sea-sickness and stomach ulcers. A hybrid between D. myoporoides and D. leichardtii in grown commercially in Queensland and has an higher alkaloid content than either species.

Care and Cultivation of Duboisia myoporoides

Duboisia myoporoides grows mainly in areas of high rainfall, on the edges of rainforest and on sandy soils behind sand dunes near the coast. Full-sun. Flowers in spring. Seed should be sown in spring or in warm conditions just below the surface of a sandy potting mix. Seeds enter a dormancy not long after harvest; this dormancy can be overcome with GA3 (we sell it here) or through cycling high and low temperatures, as would occur in nature at certain times of the year (spring). Keep moist and germination should occur within 4 weeks.

10 seeds per packet