A native of the arid and semi-arid inland of Australia, it prefers light to heavy soils in an open, sunny position. It is drought and frost tolerant.
An evergreen shrub to small tree growing to a height of 4 metres (13 ft) with a spread of 3 metres (10 ft). The stem is erect, slender and smooth, with weeping branches and a lightly textured crown; the leaves are 10 cm (4 in) long, entire, alternate, leathery and narrow with a hooked point; the flowers are pale yellow, 5 petalled and bell shaped, occurring in short, terminal clusters in spring; the fruit are marble-sized, orange berries which split to eject the seeds which are covered in a bright red, sticky gel.
The Aboriginal people used parts of this plant to treat various ailments.
Propagation
Pre-treat seeds by hot water treatment to overcome dormancy inhibitors. Place the seed in something such as a muslin bag. Boil water and take off heat and immerse the seed immediately and leave to soak over night.
Germination can be affected by using a plastic bag with about a fistful of moist spaghnum moss. Mix the seed in the damp moss and seal the plastic bag, place the bag in a warm, sunny position and maintain the moss in a lightly moist state.
Or
Sow in a good seed raising mix, just lightly covering the seeds and water from below to avoid disturbance.
Germination takes from 21 to 28 days at a temperature of 23°C.
Pot up in a 3:1 mixture of clean sand and peat moss in a pot or forestry tube with some depth.
An evergreen shrub to small tree growing to a height of 4 metres (13 ft) with a spread of 3 metres (10 ft). The stem is erect, slender and smooth, with weeping branches and a lightly textured crown; the leaves are 10 cm (4 in) long, entire, alternate, leathery and narrow with a hooked point; the flowers are pale yellow, 5 petalled and bell shaped, occurring in short, terminal clusters in spring; the fruit are marble-sized, orange berries which split to eject the seeds which are covered in a bright red, sticky gel.
The Aboriginal people used parts of this plant to treat various ailments.
Propagation
Pre-treat seeds by hot water treatment to overcome dormancy inhibitors. Place the seed in something such as a muslin bag. Boil water and take off heat and immerse the seed immediately and leave to soak over night.
Germination can be affected by using a plastic bag with about a fistful of moist spaghnum moss. Mix the seed in the damp moss and seal the plastic bag, place the bag in a warm, sunny position and maintain the moss in a lightly moist state.
Or
Sow in a good seed raising mix, just lightly covering the seeds and water from below to avoid disturbance.
Germination takes from 21 to 28 days at a temperature of 23°C.
Pot up in a 3:1 mixture of clean sand and peat moss in a pot or forestry tube with some depth.