Propagation
Separate seeds from pulp and sown in autumn in a moist medium and maintain a temperature of 5ş C (41ş F) for 3-months.
Softwood cuttings of non-flowering shoots are taken from spring to autumn and place on a misting bench until roots appear with in 6 to 8 weeks. Avoid excessive moisture for both cuttings and seeds.

Cuttings of deciduous species should be taken during early winter and cuttings of evergreen species are taken from spring.

Note
All parts of the plant if ingested will cause severe stomach upset.


Botanic information
Leaf: The leaves are ovate to oblong with an entire or spiny tip serrated margins and a reddish petiole is up to 25 mm (1 in) long. It has an obtuse apex and an abruptly cuneate base.

The upper surface is olive green and the underside is glaucous grey. The leaves are accompanied by a three-way spine that is up to 20 mm (ľ in) long and during autumn leaves turn reddish before falling.

Flower: The yellow nodding cyathiform flowers have 6-petal-like sepals and 6-petals arranged in alternating whorls of three with 6-stamens and the ovary contains a single cell.

They are arranged on a pedestal up to 30 mm (1? in)long in a pendant raceme that is up to 100 mm (4 in) long and appears during early summer.

Fruit: The small coral red berries have a fleshy texture and are covered in a powdery secretion (pruinose). The small seeds are viable but the plant is commonly reproduced vegetatively.