Archive for the 'Correas' Category

I thought I would gradually add photos of the plants that I have written about in previous blog entries.

One of many favourite plants is Correa ‘Pink Pixie’. Can I use that expression ‘many favourite’? Anyway, this is a delightful flowering plant with the flower tube split and looking like a little flared skirt as I would imagine a pixie would wear. Hence the name. Unfortunately for that Correa, its correct name is Correa ‘Candy Pink’ and it may also be the plant that is called Correa ‘Mallee Pink’. It appears that the first name by which it was called ie C ‘Candy Pink’ is the one it should be known by. Pity really. ‘Pink Pixie’ suits the shape of the flower and ‘Candy Pink’ suits the colour of the flower.

I continue to find lots of treasures in the Nursery. Three more Correas.
I found more Correa ‘Pink Pixie’ under the name Correa alba x pulchella. It is definitely the same plant when the flowers and leaves are compared. I should have enough to create a nice hedge. They grow to about 120-140cm tall by about the same width.

The loss of the plant in my friend’s garden is quite significant. When you consider that it took five years to get to that size, the space that will be left will be quite large. This is a problem often faced by people who lose a plant of considerable age. The ‘financial’ value of replacing with an equivalent sized plant, if it was possible, would be extraordinary.

My beautiful Correa pulchella ‘minor’ with white flowers is covered in blooms at the moment. (“Minor” because the leaves are finer than the usual form). The plant in the ground will not flower for another month or so. Sometimes it is a bonus to have these early flowers on potted plants, especially if I need a photo of the plant in flower.

Correa ‘Mannii’ which has very deep pink flowers and flowers prolifically usually, is looking very unhappy. It is about 17 years old, so I suppose it has to come to an end sometime. It is one plant that I will definitely replace somewhere in the garden. It is outside our bedroom window and has provided considerable entertainment with the number of Honey Eaters visiting the flowers over its long flowering period.

A friend’s Correa ‘Pink Pixie’, or ‘Candy Pink’ as it should be referred to, has decided to die. This is a gorgeous plant with pretty pink bells that are split so that the petals flare like a little skirt (hence the ‘Pink Pixie’). There is no obvious reason for the loss of the plant. Some Acacias (Wattles) will not live long in garden situations because they grow too fast with the additional water that is availabe, or the richer soil. Maybe this is the problem with this plant. I am glad I took cuttings from it a few months ago!

I was sorting plants for the Plant Sale today and found some precious plants. A few years ago I was given cuttings of a number of Correas I had not seen before. They seemed to get lost in the system during a time when I was not well and lost track of a lot of plants.

There they were. Some new Correa reflexa and Correa pulchella forms and very pretty, too. I was able to match some photos I had taken and not labelled either. Not terribly organised. At least I have been able to repair the mess this time.

I have a beautiful red Correa pulchella, with large bells, in flower at the moment. There are enough plants to create an informal hedge, I think.