Cestrum parqui (Lam.) L'Hér.
Green cestrum (Cestrum parqui) is a long-lived, evergreen shrub that is native to Chile and Argentina. It was introduced to New Zealand as a garden ornamental and was first recorded in the wild (naturalised) in 1908. The plant grows up to about 3 metres tall and has dark green leaves with a distinctive unpleasant smell when crushed. It flowers from October to April, producing clusters of tubular yellow-green flowers, which develop into glossy black berries. It tolerates shade and a range of soil types. It reproduces by seed and vegetatively by suckering from the base. Seeds are dispersed by birds and other animals that eat the berries. All parts of the plant are poisonous if eaten, especially to livestock.
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