Ericaceae

n/a

Small, mat-forming densely-branched shrub with branches to 50 cm high. Bright to dark red tubular flowers, particularly May-Sep, and blue-green stiff, prickly narrow leaves.

Sandy soils on hillsides. Prefers 300 – 550 mm rainfall in the Riverina.

Harvest early Sep-late Mar, seeds shed in 3-14 days. Propagate from very young, firm new growth cuttings (difficult to root) or seed (difficult to germinate).

Good habitat, nectar source for native birds. Fruits eaten by First Nations People and used in jams and jellies. Widely cultivated for rockeries, embankments, groundcover, and planting beneath larger shrubs.