'Australian Plants' Vol.1 No.2 March 1960 +----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | The text in this file has been extracted from 'Australian Plants' Vol.1 No.2 March 1960. | | | | Please note that the file was compiled from a scan of the original document. As successful | | scanning is dependent on the quality of the original, there may be errors in the text where | | the scanning software was unable to recognise particular words. | | | | PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO VIEW THE ACTUAL, ACCURATELY FORMATTED | | JOURNAL, INCLUDING ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOS: | | | | https://anpsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Australian-Plants/Australian-Plants-Vol1-2.pdf | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN PLANTS ( | L | AF | ! L | PRt s § sHTILLIRGR PROSTANTHERA NIVEA var INDUTA A ostrihane pink torm o of this =pecies o Florn=by . N.= A A it b=l ISERERRRRRRRT! = normal vrowine inoa carden at tattive ot Bndand ranves ol NOS AV growing Toose heteht o b Teet where colomr varies from pade Foo e vy lavender dlevpest Lavender blne, P'ivotercnvb by I Adrhater PROSTANTHERA MEGACALYX A Livender blue shiuh ol 2 to 0 deer the Sl it frome the o sl ol Howers Queetsinnd, may he Uiy @ =mall W e as= 1 oinches long. @@@ 2 @@@ Page 2 AUSTRALIAN PLANTS—LADBIAT A March, 1460 HOW TO GROW MINT BUSII By A. M. BLOMBERY The Genus Prostanthera (Greek, prostheke — an appendage. referring to the appendage on the anthers), commonly called Mint Bush, due to the aromatic odour of the foliage, belongs to the same family as the common culinary herbs such as rage, mint, thyme and rosemary. [here are many beautiful species which vary from small spreading types like P. denticulata (Latin—with small teeth, refering to the leaves) to the upright growing and more widely known species such as P.ovalifolia (Latin—with oval shaped leaves), Purple and P.lasianthos (Greek. shaggy flowered). the Victorian Xmas Bush. The colours, ranging from white, pink z2nd red to mauve and purple, should satisfy all tastes. All the Prostanthera species are rap.d growers, although varying greatly in size and habit of growth. Under cultivation they are some- what short-lived. Unless a well-drained position is provided, losses {requently occur during periods of continuous rain, particularly in heavy soil, as the roots rot readily. In their natural habitat Mint Bush grow in well-drained positions, protected by larzer shrubs and trees. In selecting a position in the garden in which to grow a Prostan- thera species, the first and essential requirement is a well-drained soil; a morning sun aspect is best, but not necessary, for Mint Bush is adaptable. Although soil of a light nature is best, it is possible to grow these thrubs in a wide range of soils. Should the site be poorly drained, reasonable success can be obtained by building up a garden bed 12 inches or more above the surroundinz soil: in such cases, watering must not be neglected during dry periods. Next, select a plant well established in the container in which it is growing; this is most important, as very many losses of young native plants are due to planting shrubs before a good root system has developed or the plant has properly hardened. After planting the Mint Bush, it should be remembered that the shrub has been growing under nurcery conditions, receiving daily care, and until well established in the garden. the same attention should be given. Much disappointment and loss of plants will be avoided if the above is borne in mind. Tip pruning, that is pinching out the growing tips, should be undertaken from the time the plant is small, to encourage the development of a bushier and more compact shrub. This method of pruning is more satisfactory than heavy cutting back of the shrub after flowering, particularly in older shrubs, as severe pruning, i.e., the cutting of hardwood, frequently kills the plant. Deep digging in the immediate precincts of the chrub should be avoided at all times. PROPAGATION OF PROSTANTHERA Prostanthera species may be obtained from reliable nurserymen or may ke raised from seed if so desired. The seeds are small round nuts, four of which develop from a fertilised lower. The seeds should be sown in a prepared seedbox of free sandy soil, covered to a depth of the thickness of the seed and kept moist at all times. Trans- plant the seedling after the second pair of leaves have formed. into pots, tins, tubes or the like. Growing new plants from cuttings is considered the easiest and best method, as flowers are produced earlier. celected forms can be p (Continued on Page 11) @@@ 3 @@@ March, 1960 AUSTRALIAN PLANTS —LABIATAL Page 3 THE GENUS PROSTANTHERA (Mint Bushes) By G. W. ALTHOFER The Genus Prostanthera (pronounced pros-tan-th-era), com- prising over 70 species and a number of varieties, is more truly Aus:ralian than Eucalyptus. Acacia, Grevillea, Melalcuca or any other of the more profuse genera of well known Australian plants. Under the common name of Mint Bushes, the Prostanthera species are known and loved from one end of the Commonwealth to the other. This happy state is mainly due to the beauty of one species, the purple Mint Bush — P.ovalifolia (o-val-if-olia) — which comes to us when spring is at its zen:th and when the bushland is fragrant with the scent of a hundred species of flowering shrubs and trees. The Mint Bush flowering comes as the seal of perfection, for no other is more floriferous nor more shapely, with the added attraction of the aromatic leaves, which, when scarcely brushed in passing, give to the air around a cloying sweetness — a gift redolent of bushland fragrance. There are many others, however, which vie in beauty with the purple Mint Bush, for who, on seeing for the first time the soft lavender blue loveliness of P.induta (in-du-ta) (P.nivea var. induta), the Warrumbungle Mint Bush. high on the sun-scorched peaks, {oaming like a soft blue waterfall over the cliffs — or high in some cleft in a pocket handkerchief or leaf mould clinging in lonely state, czn ever forget the sight. As long as life is with me — and perhaps beyond the grave — who knows? | shall remember the vision of loveliness my first sight of P.induta brought to me. The soft bieath- taking loveliness of it, the size and colour of it, each flower backed by the large “Granny Bonnett” calyx and flanked by mealy-white leaves and stems. did something to my heart that no flower before or since has done. It was several long years before | was to see P.induta in situ, but one day in late September in the 1940’s, in company with Peter, | saw for the first time high on the cliffs of Mt. Naman, the first flowers of that spring showing their faces to the afternoon sun. The following davy we scaled the cliffs on the northern side of the huge outer wall of the ancient volcano. This in itself was a breath-taking task; no direct ascent was possible. but by means of working along the ledges until a break was found in the sheer walls we finally accomplished the climb to fird ourselves in a paradise of flowering shrubs — for here on the top of the 3,000 ft. mountain was a small plateau with rock pools and running water, and dozens of flowering shrubsz to make the miniature cliffs around the pools bright with colour. A tangled mass of Kunzea ambigua (pink and white forms). K.parvifolia (purple), Anthocorcis albicans (creamy yellow). Acacia cultriformis (yellow) were there, whilst in rock pockets were the most perfect bushes of Prostanthera induta | have ever seen, with lavender blue flowers just breaking. an