Astroloma pinifolium
| Astroloma pinifolium | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer-Mid Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Astroloma pinifolium (common name: pine heath)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed has a hard coat and some form of scarification is necessary or the seed can take up to 5 years to germinate. Two or three periods each of 4 - 6 weeks cold stratification can reduce the time taken to germinate[1]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. When large enough, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.
Cuttings of firm young tip growths[2]. It is very difficult to obtain suitable wood[3] and the cuttings are slow to root[2].
Cultivation: Succeeds in most well-drained soils[2]. Established plants are moderately drought tolerant[2].
This species can survive frosts in Britain, particularly if the roots are well mulched, but they are more safely grown in a cold greenhouse in this country[2]. They will probably be all right in sheltered coastal gardens[2].
The roots are prone to fungal infection, so the plant must be grown in a well-drained soil[2].
The plants have a very fine root system which makes transplanting difficult[3].
Range: Australia - Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.
Habitat: In heathland and open dry sclerophyll forests on sandy soils[2][4].
Edibility: Fruit - raw. Sweet and succulent when fully ripe[2]. The fruit is about 5mm in diameter[2].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ Bird, Alfred. Focus on Plants Volume 5. Thompson and Morgan, 1991.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ Carolin, R. Flora of the Sydney Region. Reed, 1993.