Pimelea Physodes * Qualup Bell * Spectacular Purple Flower * Very Rare 5 Seeds *

THIS LISTING IS FOR 5 SEEDS OF PIMELEA PHYSODES A small shrub with soft blue grey oval shaped leaves and spectacular reddish purple fragrant flowers that occur in pendant clusters during winter to spring. Beautiful feature plant for the small garden. Endemic to a small range between Albany and Esperance in Western Australia. Prefers a light to medium well-drained soil in a sunny open position, drought resistant but frost tender. Shrub 60 cm spread 100 cm. Pimelea is a genus of about 80 species, most of which are Australian but some also occur on islands to the north and in New Zealand. Most are shrubs but some annual species are found in tropical areas. The name "rice flower" has been applied to many members of the genus, a few of which are cultivated to a limited extent. Pimelea physodes is arguably the most spectacular member of the genus due to its large, pendant flower heads. It is prized as a cut flower. It is a small, erect shrub to about 1 metre high with oval shaped leaves to about 10 mm long by 6 mm wide. The small flowers occur in clusters at the ends of the branches and are enclosed by leafy bracts which produce a large, pendent, flower head giving a bell shape similar to some of the Western Australian darwinias (which are not related). The bracts may be yellow, green, red or purple in colour. Flowering occurs in winter and spring. In Western Australia, successful cultivation has been achieved in well drained, acidic soils (sand over gravel at 0.5 to 1 m, deep sand or sandy loam). A position protected from full sun is preferred for best quality flowers.