Gumnuts - Favourites: Epacris longiflora

Favourites: Epacris longiflora

16 June 2008 8:57 AM

Not a lot flowering at this time of year, but a few days ago I noticed a bit of colour hidden away among my pot plant collection. Closer inspection revealed clusters of flowers on my Epacris impressa (I simply refuse to call this plant 'Fuchsia heath' - it's demeaning to both plants).

This is a wonderful little plant, native to moist sandstone areas around the central coast of New South Wales as well as around the NSW/Queensland border.

It's typically a fairly straggly shrub comprising several long, arching branches and is usually less than a metre in height.. Some may find its habit untidy, but I loathe neatness so it appeals to me....

The flowers are narrow and tubular, up to 40mm long and occur along the branches. They contain nectar and are frequented by honey-eating birds. The typical colour is red with a white tip but some variations are in cultivation such as a fully white form. In nature, the plant almost always has some flowers present.

I find the plant difficult to maintain in the garden but, as a pot plant it is superb.

Is anybody out there!!??

Surely there must be one or two readers who have favourites that they could write a sentence or two about.....

If you have a plant or two that you particularly like and that might be useful for others, drop me an email.

Previous Favourites

Kangaroo Paw Hybrids
Alloxylon flammeum: Tree waratah
Jacksonia scoparia: Dogwood
Banksia media: Southern plains banksia
Correa 'Mannii'
Myoporum floribundum: Slender myoporum
Hibbertia diffusa: Wedge guinea flower
Callistemon 'Injune'

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Favourites

Comment posted by Gillian at 9:14 AM, 23 June 2008
Don't get me started! I have so many favourites.
All the correas - they seem to flower and flower where I am, in the South West of Victoria (Camperdown).
Pincushion hakea - H. laurina - and another one which seems to be indigenous to our area. I don't know its proper name but it's VERY spiky and has a very small white, curly flower.
I also have many, many grevilleas of all sorts and the honey eaters are continually all over them.
This is a very quick response to your cry for 'Is anybody out there!!??' Maybe I'll post again soon about my favourite ground covers and creepers.
Love your website. I have the blog on my home page so I get all the updates as they come in.

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favourite plant

Comment posted by Jan of Eastern Hills Branch of WSWA at 3:55 PM, 23 June 2008

Like Gillian I too have many favourites. But one in flower now is a particular favourite, I refer to Acacia merinthophora, native to the wheatbelt in WA but growing happily in my garden in Gidgegannup, in the Hills about an hour's drive east of Perth. It has a weeping habit, and is sometimes referred to as the zig-zag wattle because of the shape of its slender branches. The flowers are catkins rather than balls. See http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/3439

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Re; Favourites

Comment posted by asgap at 9:43 AM, 24 June 2008

Hi Gillian and Jan

Thanks for the feedback.

Hakeas are very under-rated plants. There are some fantastic garden plants and the prickly ones (even if not spectacular) are great for giving protection to small birds.

I had Acacia merinthophora growing here in western Sydney for a few years - very unusual acacia and well worth growing.

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