Corkwood Tree
One of the little known trees that is now a plant that is a commercially viable crop are Duboisia species. These small native trees reach only a few meters in height, attractive green foliage and small white star shaped flowers. It is Duboisia hopwoodii that is the most sought after, and this is a shrubby plant found in WA, SA, and other arid areas in Qld and NSW.
They have been traditionally used for medicinal purposes where the Duboisa hopwoodii leaves are harvested also known as Pituri. The plant does have attractive flowers, trumpet shaped, white and veined. Foliage is a mid to deep green, narrow and lance shaped.
One of the interesting features is that this plant varies greatly in chemical composition from one population to another. It is only selected plants that a were used for medicinal purposes, some we regarded as poisons.
Today the trees are grown in plantations for the leaves. The leaves are harvested and sent overseas for processing in commercially produced pharmaceutical products.
Duboisia Varieties
- Duboisia myoporoides is a small tree to medium sized tree and is known as Corkwood. Can reach 15 + in good conditions. Widespread on the east coast from Queensland through to Southern New south Wales.
- Duboisia hopwoodii is known as Pituri. Small growing to around 3m in height, small white flowers and very narrow foliage. Will spread to around 4 metres across. This is the species used for traditional medicinal purposes.