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.