Family:
Rhamnaceae
Cryptandra amara
Pretty Cryptandra
Other Names: Bitter Cryptandra, Spiny Cryptandra
Regional Subspecies:
Occurrence:
Regional:
Noted in the areas: Burrumbuttock-West Hume and Upper Gilmore. Probably also in similar country surrounding those noted.
Habitat:
Open country, particularly heathland. Usually on shallow gravelly or skeletal soils. Also on red earths.
Habit:
Shrub to 1 m high, often intricately branched, the smaller branches sometimes ending in spines, with small leaves. May be slow-growing.
Flowering:
Conspicuous, white flowers mainly Aug-Sep.
Seed Collection:
Cover fruiting branches with paper bags or nylon stockings after flowering to catch seed.
Propagation:
Generally grown from cuttings which may be slow to root.
VALUES:
Wildlife:
Good habitat, attracting insect-eating native birds.
Ornamental:
Attractive ornamental for shrubberies and rockeries due to its flowering. Flowers are long-lasting and have cut-flower potential.
Other:
Abbreviated to Cryptandra amara in the General Native Vegetation Profiles.