Archive for the 'Eriostemon (Philotheca)' Category

I came across some articles on growing perfumed plants in the old ‘Growing Native Plants’ from Canberra Botanic Gardens.

One of the most delicious perfumes is the citrus style perfume of Eriostemon ‘Profusion’ (Waxflower) (now Philotheca ‘Profusion’). It is the leaves that have the perfume and brushing past the plant is sheer delight. I keep promising myself that I will put one on each corner of the garden beds where it is most likely to be brushed against. A lot of herb books suggest this technique of planting for the pleasure of the perfume in leaves.

I have found this plant to be remarkably hardy. It is growing on a limestone rubble mound of very high pH. The only thing going for it is the excellent drainage. It gets dappled shade most of the day. I take cutting material from it a couple of times a year. (It takes ages to strike.) It is a small rounded shrub with foliage well down the bush and it flowers all over the bush for months.

The species is in the same family as domestic citrus trees. The flowers are reminiscent of the flowers on lemon and orange trees in shape and form.