Communities

Scientific Name

Spyridium obovatum

Family Name

RHAMNACEAE

Common Name

Dusty Miller

Status

Height

1.0m - 1.5m (100-150cm)

Flowers

4-5mm in diameter in dense heads, clustered in small compound heads.Petals hood shaped

Fruit

Paper capsule

Form

Shrub or sometimes a small tree.

Municipalities

Communities

Coastal Vegetation; Dry Eucalypt Forest and Woodland; Dry to moist shrubberies*

Habitat Notes

Tas. endemic. In scattered localities near the east coast, Tasman Peninsula and mountains of the west at altitudes of c900m. margins of Eucalypt forest.

Site Tolerance

Dry; Moist; Rocky; Windy

Frost Tolerance

Moderate

Soil Tolerance

Clay; Loam; Phosphorous intolerant; Poor; Well-drained

General Notes

Resistant to Phytophthora cinnamomi. Suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Propagation Calendar

Flowering Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Collecting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sowing Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cutting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Capsules to 3mm wide releasing brown- black small seeds from valves when mature. close monitoring is required. fruit become brown and dry at maturity and are cut from the plant. nearly mature fruits can be bagged

Seed Treatment Method

Standard

Seed Storage Life

Viable Seeds Per Gram

Seed Treatment Notes

Difficult to grow from seed.

Germination Time

Suitable for Direct Seeding

Cuttings

Expected Time to Take Root

3-6 weeks

Expected Time to Plant Out

8-10 weeks

Propagation by Division N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.

Cutting Notes

Usually grown from cuttings.