Astroloma humifusum

Astroloma humifusum, commonly known as the native cranberry or Cranberry Heath, is a small prostrate shrub or groundcover in the heath family Ericaceae endemic to eastern Australia.

Astroloma humifusum was initially described as Ventenatia humifusa by Cavanilles in 1797,^[1] before being given its current binomial name by prolific Scottish botanist Robert Brown in his 1810 work Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. Common names include cranberry heath and native cranberry,^[2] as the fruit were eaten by early settlers.^[3] An old name is juniper-leaved astroloma.^[4]

Astroloma humifusum grows as a spreading mat-like shrub up to 50 cm (20 in) high and 0.5 to 1.5 m (20 in to 5 ft) across.^[3] Its hairy stems bear blue-green pine-like acute leaves 0.5-1.2 cm (0.2-0.5 in) long. The tubular flowers are up to 2 cm (0.8 in) long and appear from February to June, and are all red, unlike the red and green flowers of A. pinifolium. Flowers are followed by green globular berries around 0.4-0.6 cm (0.2 in) in diameter, which become reddish as they ripen.^[5]

The range is in southeastern Australia, from Newcastle in the north in eastern and central New South Wales, into Victoria, south-eastern South Australia and Tasmania.^[5][6][7] It is generally found in open woodland, both on sandstone and clay soils,^[5] as well as upland bogs. Associated plant species include Eucalyptus fibrosa, Eucalyptus sideroxylon, and Kunzea ambigua.^[8]

The Eastern Bettong (Bettongia gaimardi) eats the fruit.^[9]

Requiring good drainage in the garden, it can be grown in rockeries.^[10] The juicy berries are edible, although they are mostly made up of a large seed. They can be used to make jams or preserves.^[3] The flavour of the berries has been described as "sickly sweet".^[4]

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