Schizomeria ovata

Schizomeria ovata, or white cherry, belongs to the Cunoniaceae family. This evergreen tree comes from eastern Australia. Its native range covers New South Wales and Queensland. It grows in warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical forests. It lives in sheltered rainforest gullies and wet sclerophyll forest. There, it can grow beneath taller trees. Wild trees occur on both poor soils and richer volcanic ground.

In gardens and open sites, trees reach 33–49 feet [10–15 metres]. Forest trees in the southern range can reach 115 feet [35 metres]. Trees stay smaller in the more tropical parts of their range. The crown forms a dense, rounded shape and stays compact. The trunk is cylindrical and may have small buttresses. Large trunks can measure 3.3–6.6 feet [1–2 metres] across. Its evergreen leaves give the crown cover throughout the year.

Each flower has both male and female organs. The pale fruit grows to about half an inch across. People eat the fruit raw, though its taste is sour. Local people gather it from wild trees for food. Its low food-use rating suggests limited value as an edible crop. The sources report no known hazards, but give no detailed safety assessment. They list no known medicinal uses for this tree.

White cherry grows in full sun or light shade. It suits a woodland edge where the soil stays moist. It accepts sandy, loamy and clay soils. One source lists tolerance of mildly acid through mildly alkaline ground. Another gives a preferred pH of 5–6.5, with tolerance from 4.5–7. The tree favours warm conditions and ample rain. Reported preferred daytime temperatures range from 16–28°C. Dormant plants may survive about −10°C, but new growth can suffer severe damage at −1°C. This difference matters where late frosts follow mild weather.

People sometimes plant white cherry as an ornamental tree. Its dense crown gives it value in woodland-style gardens. Wild trees also provide wood for local use. Cuttings root readily, offering a more direct way to raise plants. Seed can take as long as nine years to germinate. That long delay makes seed propagation uncertain in timing. The supplied sources give no specific pest or disease problems. They also provide no details on bloom season or mature crown width.