General Description:

Astartea is a genus of 22 species¹, all of which occur naturally in the south-west of Western Australia. The members of the genus are all small to medium shrubs and are closely related to the genus Baeckea.

Astartea ‘Winter Pink’ is believed to be a  hybrid between Astartea clavulata and Astartea astarteoides that arose in cultivation in 1976.  The cultivar was registered with the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority in 1981.

The cultivar is a dense shrub to about 0.5 metres high and wide.  The small, narrow leaves are about 4-5 mm long.  Flowers occur in clusters on stalks arising from the leaf axils and are about 10 mm in diameter with five petals and are deep pink in colour.  Flowering is from winter through to spring.

This cultivar has proven to be reliable in cultivation in well drained soils in a sunny or partially shaded situation.  It will withstand extended dry conditions once established and is tolerant of at least moderate frost.

As this plant is a hybrid it cannot be propagated from seed as the resultant plants may differ from true ‘Winter Pink’ in flower colour and/or growth habit.  Propagation must be by cuttings to preserve the true form of the cultivar.

1. Rye B. L. (2013);   A revision of the south-western Australian genus Astartea (Myrtaceae: Chamelaucieae). Nuytsia 23: 189–269 (2013)