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Geraldton wax

Chamelaucium uncinatum

Also called Geraldton Wax Plant

Geraldton wax
Photo: Peripitus, CC BY-SA 3.0
Family
Myrtaceae (Myrtle family)
Grows as
Tree, Shrub
Water
Drought tolerant
Native range
W. & SW. Western Australia
Climate
subtropical

About

Chamelaucium uncinatum, the Geraldton waxflower, Geraldton wax, is a flowering plant endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub 0.5 to 4 meters high, bearing white or pink flowers June–November. The name uncinatum means "hooked" in Latin, in reference to the tips of the leaves.

The flowers (somewhat resembling those of the tea tree) last a relatively long time after cutting, making the plant popular in horticulture. It is widely cultivated throughout Australia, both in home gardens and in the cut flower industry. Purple-flowering cultivars have been developed.

How to grow it

Geraldton waxflower is relatively hardy and fairly easy to grow in a Mediterranean climate with well-drained sandy soil and a sunny aspect. It can be grown in areas of higher humidity, such as Sydney, but tends to be short lived. It is also good in pots. It has the tendency to 'fall over' and may need support. It is very drought-tolerant and has aromatic leaves.

The hardy characteristics have led to its use as a root stock species for grafting species of the closely related featherflowers of genus Verticordia.

Other Chamelaucium plants

Chamelaucium axillare · Chamelaucium brevifolium · Chamelaucium ciliatum · Chamelaucium confertiflorum · Chamelaucium drummondii · Chamelaucium gracile · Chamelaucium marchantii · Large Waxflower · Chamelaucium micranthum · Chamelaucium pauciflorum · Chamelaucium virgatum · Waxes

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Chamelaucium uncinatum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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