Family:
CHENOPODIACEAE
Maireana pyramidata
Black Bluebush
Other Names: Shrubby Bluebush, Sago Bush
Regional Subspecies:
n/a
HABIT:
Rounded, blue-grey perennial shrub up to 1.5 m high. Branches are rigid and spiny. Leaves are fleshy, obovoid, and hairy. Fruit is pyramid-shaped, green when fresh and drying to black. Flowers from September to November.
HABITAT & SITE PREFERENCE:
Mainly on calcareous sands and loams. Prefers 300 to 450 mm rainfall in the Riverina region.
SEED COLLECTION & PROPAGATION:
Propagate from seed. Seed only remains viable for a couple of months. Drought resistant. Can become weedy, and its high density can reduce the numbers of other species.
VALUES & USES:
Very useful in areas subject to soil erosion. Used for fodder in dry times.