Taupata Facts for Kids

Coprosma repens is a cool plant from New Zealand. It's a type of shrub or small tree that belongs to the Coprosma group. People often call it by other names like taupata, mirror bush, or shiny leaf. It's known for its glossy leaves, which help it survive near the coast.

Quick facts for kids Taupata

Scientific classification
Genus:	Coprosma
Species:	repens
Synonyms
Coprosma baueriana Hook. f. Coprosma baueri auct. non Endl. Coprosma retusa Hook. f Coprosma stockii Williams

What Does It Look Like?
- Reproduction and Flowers
Where Does It Grow?
Growing Taupata
Gallery
See also

What Does It Look Like?

This plant can look very different depending on where it grows. If it's in a windy, open spot like a cliff, it often stays low to the ground. But in places with more shelter, it can grow into a small tree, reaching up to 8 meters (about 26 feet) tall.

Its leaves are thick and very shiny. Their size can change a lot based on how much wind and sun they get. The edges of the leaves often curl backwards. Sometimes they curl so much that the leaf looks like a tube! These shiny leaves are great for helping the plant live near the ocean.

Reproduction and Flowers

Coprosma repens is a special kind of plant because it has separate male and female plants. This is called being dioecious. Flowers appear in spring and summer.

Male flowers grow in tight, bunched groups. They have a funnel-shaped part (called a corolla) that is about 5 mm long. The female flowers are in smaller groups. They have a short green base (called a calyx) and a tube-shaped corolla about 3 mm long.

After the female flowers are pollinated, they produce orange-red fruits. These fruits are oval-shaped, about 8 mm wide and 10 mm long. They are a type of fruit called a drupe, which means they have a hard pit inside, like a peach.

Where Does It Grow?

This plant is originally from New Zealand. You can find it on the North Island, South Island, Kermadec Islands, and Three Kings Islands.

It has also started growing in other places, like coastal areas of Australia. In some parts of Australia, it has spread so much that it's now considered an environmental weed. This means it grows where it's not native and can sometimes cause problems for local plants.

Growing Taupata

Male

Female

Taupata flowers

Taupata is a popular plant for gardens, especially near the coast. This is because it can handle salty sea spray very well. It likes sandy soil that drains water easily, but it can also grow in heavier soils.

There are many different types, or cultivars, of Coprosma repens that people grow:

Coffee Cream - Has creamy yellow edges on its leaves.
Coppershine - Its leaves have a coppery-bronze color.
Evening Glow - Features golden leaves that turn orange and pink-red in autumn and winter.
Marble Chips - Its leaves have white edges and speckles.
Picturata - Has a golden area in the center of its leaves.
Pink Splendour - Its leaves have pink and maroon colored edges.
Rainbow Surprise - A small type with tiny pink and yellow-green leaves.
Taupata Gold - Has cream-colored leaves with green centers.
Variegata - Its leaves have a creamy-white edge.
Yvonne - A compact plant with dark-green leaves.

Two of these types, 'Marble Queen' and 'Picturata', have even won a special prize called the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. This award means they are excellent garden plants!