Baeckea gunniana
| Baeckea gunniana | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 5' |
| Width: | 7' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Baeckea gunniana
Propagation: Seed - surface sow in spring or autumn in a greenhouse and keep the compost moist until germination takes place. When 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. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame[1].
Cultivation: Requires a position in full sun in a fertile moisture retentive well-drained soil[1].
This species is not very hardy in Britain, though it should survive outdoors in the very mildest areas of the country, especially if given a sheltered position. Plants in Australian gardens tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c[2], but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters.
The leaves emit a powerful camphor-like scent when handled[3].
This species is very closely related to and perhaps synonymous with B. utilis[2].
A rock garden plant[2], it seems to maintain its prostrate habit even when grown at lower altitudes[2].
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.
Habitat: Bogs and wet rocky sites, especially by water courses in alpine regions to 1800 metres.
Edibility: The leaves are a tea substitute, they are very refreshing and aromatic. A citrus-like flavour[4].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Cribb, Alan and Joan Cribb. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana, 1976.