Persoonia levis
| Persoonia levis | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 16' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Persoonia levis (common name: broad-leaved geebong)
Propagation: Seed - scarify the seed and sow it in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn. Keep the seed tray in a sunny position during the following summer and the seed should germinate in the autumn. About 46% germination can be expected. Carefully prick the young seedlings out into individual pots within 1 - 2 days of emerging, the root is very brittle and plants are easily killed[1]. Grow the plants on in the greenhouse for at least their first 2 winters and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Give some protection from winter cold for at least their first winter outdoors.
Cultivation: Requires a warm position in full sun in a freely draining preferably sandy slightly acid soil, preferring a pH around 6.3 to 6.5[1]. Soils should be low in nutrients, especially nitrates and phosphates[1].
Plants are not very hardy outdoors in Britain and usually require cool greenhouse treatment[2]. Plants tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens, though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer colder and wetter winters.
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Victoria.
Habitat: Heaths and dry sclerophyll forests on sandy and stony soils[3][4].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked. Succulent but astringent[5]. The fruit has a sweet fibrous pulp that is fixed to one large seed, it tastes somewhat like sweet cotton wool and is relished by the Australian Aborigines[3].
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 1.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Low, Tim. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson, 1989.
- ↑ Carolin, R. Flora of the Sydney Region. Reed, 1993.
- ↑ Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.