M. FAGG 
Eriostemon 
verrucosus 
The genus Eriostemon includes some of 
the most attractive and most adaptable 
Australian plants in cultivation. This group 
of plants belongs to the family Rutaceae 
(which includes the citrus fruit trees). 
There are thirty-two species of Eriostemon 
and they occur only in Australia. All have 
aromatic leaves. 
Eriostemon verrucosus is commonly 
called fairy waxflower and has often been 
confused with E. obovalis. Confined to the 
Blue Mountains area near Sydney, E. 
obovalis has branchlets which are less 
warty than those of E. verrucosus and 
smaller, solitary flowers. E. verrucosus 
occurs naturally on poorstony ground and 
on dry hills in New South Wales, Victoria, 
South Australia and Tasmania. It is 
generally a small sprawling or upright 
shrub to 1.2 m often with arching 
branches. However, it has been recorded 
as growing to 2 m high in the Gippsland 
area of Victoria. 
The branchlets of E verrucosus have 
prominent glands, which give them a warty 
appearance. The aromatic leaves which 
are arranged alternately along the stems 
are smooth above and warty beneath and 
6-15 mm long. The dainty white flowers 
are tinged with pink and produced at the 
end of the branches or in the leaf axils. 
The 5 petals are arranged in star-like 
fashion and the ten stamens enclose the 
pistil. The fruit consists of 5 segments, 
each containing one or two shiny black 
seeds which are ejected when the fruit 
ripens and splits open. 
Difficulty has been experienced in 
germinating seeds. E. verrucosus can be 
propagated from half-hardened tip cut¬ 
tings taken in March/April. The strike rate 
is very variable; some produce roots 
quickly whilst others can remain static for 
some time. Better results have been 
achieved by removal of the growing tip 
from cutting material. A suitable rooting 
hormone* consists of IBA (indole butyric 
acid) 2000 ppm. 
E. verrucosus is frost hardy and reason¬ 
ably drought tolerant. In cultivation it 
grows best in well drained soil in a dry, 
sunny or semi-shaded position. 
Several double or multi-petalled forms 
of E. verrucosus have been found but the 
only one which has been registered as a 
cultivar is E. verrucosus ‘J. Semmens’ 
which has three layers of petals surround¬ 
ing the stamens and ovary. This cultivar 
was found first on the property of the late 
J. Semmens in 1910. It grows to a height 
of 0.6 m by 0.6 m across and is often 
sparsely foliaged. This plant must be 
propagated by cuttings if its form is to be 
retained. 
* See Appendix 
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