Lomatia arborescens

Lomatia arborescens

Family: Proteaceae
Distribution: Rainforest and wet forests of north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland
Common Name: Tree lomatia.
Conservation Status: Not considered to be at risk in the wild.
Derivation of Name: Lomatia; from Greek loma, a fringe, referring to the wing that surrounds the seed.
arborescens; from Latin arbor, a tree and the suffix -escens becoming like, referring to the fact that the species is often a small tree.

General Description:

Lomatia is a genus of about 12 species, most of which occur in eastern Australia but 3 or 4 are found in South America.

Lomatia arborescens is a large shrub or small tree that can reach about 10 metres in height. The leaves are up to 150 mm long, oblong to elliptical in shape and usually with serrated margins, although the margins can sometimes be entire. The flowers occur in racemes in the leaf axils and are white or cream. The flowers are followed by dry fruits containing a number of winged seeds.


Serrated leaves, seed pods and winged seeds of Lomatia arborescens Photos: John Carter

The tree lomatia is a hardy plant for sunny or shady positions in a range of climates. It prefers moist, well drained soils and grows best if adequate moisture is available. Although it is not a spectacular flowering species, the dense, bushy habit and attractive foliage make it a desirable garden plant.

The species may be grown from seed which germinates well without pretreatment. Cuttings also strike readily.