Bursaria spinosa
PITTOSPORACEAE
Christmas Bush, Sweet Bursaria, Native Box
Commonly occurs in the understory of woodlands in Eastern and Southern Australia. Reaches 10m high.
Very popular food for butterflies and moths, an ideal haven for small birds.
Bears small, fragrant, 5 petalled, white flowers in Summer.
Spines on branches, up to 1 cm long. Leaves, wedge shaped, 2 to 4.3 x 0.3 to 1.2 cm long, notched at the ends, fragrant when crushed.
Grey furrowed bark, smooth branches. Lives for 25 to 60 years, will re-sprout after fires the base.
Brown papery seed capsules containing seeds in terminal clusters. Easily collected in late Summer & Autumn when ripe, wearing gloves on still days, by hand or by shaking the branch & catching seed in a drop sheet on the ground . Chill the seed in the fridge for 3-4 weeks at 2-40c . Sprinkle lightly over propagating mix or original site soil, in late Autumn to Winter. Larger leaf & no spines from moister sites. Spinier, smaller leaf in drier sites.
Suitable for home gardens. Prune to encourage a bushier plant.
Photo. Ron Taylor