Coprosma repens (Mirror bush)

A background and foreground screening shrub with a dense habit and dark green, high-gloss leaves. Numerous cultivars are available: ‘Coffee Cream’ has creamy yellow-edged foliage; ‘Coppershine’ is fast growing and has glossy foliage with a copper-bronze tinge that becomes darker in winter; ‘Marble Chips’ grows up to 1.5m and is variegated, with combinations of green and white, and very glossy speckled and margined leaves; a more upright-growing coprosma, it is excellent in semi-shade. ‘Picturata’ is similar to ‘Marble Chips’, but with a golden central section surrounded by glossy, bright green. ‘Pink Splendour’ has dark green, glossy leaves with maroon- and pink shaded edges that colour best in winter. ‘Rainbow Surprise’ is a low-growing colourful shrub with small yellow-green and pink glossy leaves. It makes an ideal rockery plant. ‘Taupata Gold’ (2m) has decorative, glossy cream-coloured leaves with green centres. ’Variegata’ (1.5m) has green leaves with a creamy-white border. ‘Yvonne’ grows to 1m, and is a dark-green, glossy leafed, compact shrub. Its leaves have brown edges that appear darker in winter.

Family: Rubiaceae

Synonym: Coprosma baueri

Botanical Pronunciation: kop-ROS-muh REE-penz