SANTALACEAE

Alpine Ballart

 

0.3m (30cm) 

Minute yellow-green flowers, sometimes with red, in axillary clusters of 2-4 together. 

Nuts 

Prostrate dwarf shrub with many spreading branches; leaves reduced to minute triangular scales. 

Break O'Day; Central Highlands; Dorset; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands 

Grassy Vegetation; Montane Vegetation 

Occasional in tussock grassland and grassy heaths. In wet places on the mountains of the north and northeast. 

Moist; Moist 

 

Loam; Phosphorous intolerant; Poor; Well-drained 

Some growers recommend seedlings be planted out where Casuarinaceae, Fabaceae, Mimosaceaea, Myrtaceae, or Proteaceae family are growing. One successful method from seed is feeding to hens, extracting from droppings , and sowing with Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass). Suitable below powerlines. 

Seed is contained in hard nuts that become green to red-brown on maturity, attached to a succulent bright red elongated stalk to about 0.5 cm long, often profuse. harvest fruits individually by hand.  

Standard 

Short 

 

Difficult to grow from seed. Seed has short viability period; use fresh seed. Because of the semi-parasitic root development, it may be advisable to provide a host from the potting-on stage. Small shrubs or native grasses may be suitable hosts. See General notes. 

 

No 

 

 

No