Description
Ozthamnus –
There are about 50 species of mostly evergreen shrubs and woody based perennials, with a few being herbs, in this genus. They occur in New Zealand, Australia, and New Caledonia in rocky places and on heath land form the coast to the mountains. They are grown for their often aromatic, even quite resinous and sticky in some species, small, scale like, alternate leaves, and for their solitary or corymb like flowers, displaying daisy like, white, yellow, dark pink flowers. Grow larger species in a shrub border, smaller species are good in a trough, or rock garden.
Grow in moderately fertile, well drained, neutral to acidic soil in a sheltered site in full sun. Protect from excessive winter moisture.
O. coralloides – Helichrysum coralloides – This compact, rounded shrub from the Mountains of New Zealand grows 24″ tall and wide. It produces diamond shaped, shiny green, scale like, leathery leaves, 1/4″ long, densely white woolly beneath, and pressed flat to the cylindrical branches. In summer it bears solitary, terminal, yellowish white, cylindrical flowers, to 1/4″ across. Needs gritty, sharply drained soil.
Zones 8-9
