This image by dracophylla (cropped), has licence: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/>
Gardening with Indigenous Plants
Indigenous Plant Use
Identification & Control of Common Weeds
| Botanical Name: | Prostanthera lasianthos |
| Common Name: | coranderrk, victorian christmas-bush |
| Sold As: | Tube ($2.00) |
| Plant Type(s): | Tall Shrub (2 to 6 m), Bee Attracting, Bird Attracting, Butterfly Attracting, Insect Attracting, Indigenous Plant Use |
| Indigenous Plant Use: | Aromatic leaves can be used to make tea or flavour food.CAUTION: Many plants are poisonous if not collected and prepared properly! |
| Growing Conditions: | Full Sun, Partial Shade, Shade
Moist, Well Drained |
| Size (HxW): | 2-6 m x 2-5 m |
| Foliage: | Pairs of dark green toothed leaves to 10cm long with a minty aroma |
| Flowers: | Masses of funnel-shaped white flowers spotted with orange and purple to 2cm long. Flowers from November to January. |
| General Comments: | Compact tall shrub or upright tree. The Victorian Christmas bush is the largest of the native mint bushes. A variable plant, depending on origins and planting positions (prefers moist loamy soils). Plant leaf, form, flower and flowering time may vary. Useful as a tall fast growing screen plant, but needs protection from strong winds. It doesn't like the soil to dry out, mulch well if in an open position. Responds to pruning. Spectacular in flower. When not in flower it can be detected by its menthol fragrance when touched; though sometimes too strong, it is more pleasant than in some native Mint Bush scents. A separate light perfume can sometimes be detected in the flowers, but generally it is masked by the minty scents. |
 Further Information: | |
| Plant Propagation: | Propagation is by seeds or cuttings. |
This image by dracophylla (cropped), has licence: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/>
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