Piper excelsum (kawakawa)

When handling this plant the aroma of its foliage instantly transports me to the coastal forests of far north New Zealand on a hot summers day, its very distinctive. The kawakawa is widely used in that country as a medicinal plant. Its leaves can be used to make a tea, crushed and made into a poultice or added to boring water for inhalation. As a garden shrub the foliage is large and shiny, the black stems add interest to the shade garden. This is a plant well suited to dry shade.
Left unpruned it will grow into a medium sized shrub but is easily pruned to make a 1.8m bushy shrub.
I have not grown this plant indoors but have the feeling it would be unfazed by being indoors.