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Boronia megastigma Tui

Boronia megastigma Tui
Brown Boronia

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A small original Australian evergreen bush, with an upright habit and a dense foliage, adorned with remarkably aromatic fine dark leaves. In spring, its stems are covered with many pendulous bicoloured bells, brown with a golden green heart, pleasantly scented. Its cultivation in open ground should be reserved for our mildest regions due to its low hardiness (-5°C (23 °F)). It should be planted in partial shade, in a soil that remains moist, acidic to neutral. Elsewhere, it can be grown in pots and protected during winter. 
Flower size
1 cm
Height at maturity
1 m
Spread at maturity
90 cm
Exposure
Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -6°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time March to April
Recommended planting time March to May
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Flowering time April to May
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Description

Boronia megastigma 'Tui' is a lovely selection from the Brown Boronia, a remarkably aromatic Australian bush from which a highly appreciated essential oil is extracted for perfumery. It forms a beautiful bush with an upright and dense habit, adorned with fine and dark foliage, and adorned in spring with numerous beautifully bicoloured flowers, brown with a golden green heart, and wonderfully fragrant. Not very hardy, this Boronia can only be grown in the ground in the most sheltered gardens in mild coastal regions. As the plant performs very well in pots, gardeners in more continental climates can admire it on the terrace throughout the summer, pick its flowers to compose original and fragrant bouquets, and bring it indoors in winter, protected in a greenhouse or a slightly heated conservatory.

Boronia megastigma 'Tui' is a bush from the Rutaceae family, native to southwestern Western Australia, where it is found in wet areas, often in partial shade on the edge of forests, on poor and acidic soils. Its species name, megastigma, refers to the large size of the stigma in the centre of the flower. It grows rapidly, but has a short lifespan, reaching its adult size in 3 years. It has an upright, dense, and generally oval habit, reaching a maximum height of 1m (3ft 4in) with a spread of 90cm. It develops thin ascending and villous branches, with almost parallel branching at each node along their entire length. They bear small leaves divided into 3 narrow and pointed leaflets, which release an intense aroma when crushed. The flowering, which is rather long, takes place in spring, in April-May in our latitudes. A multitude of solitary flowers hang from the stem at the axils of the leaves. They are small pendulous bells, 1 to 2cm (0.4 to 0.8in) long, composed of 4 brown-pink petals on the outside, but yellow-green on the inside. They are very pleasantly fragrant.

Boronia megastigma 'Tui' cannot tolerate temperatures below -5°C (23 °F), it does not tolerate limestone, dry or poorly drained soils, and prefers partial shade. This means that the bush has some requirements, and they must be respected in order to succeed in its cultivation and enjoy its strong personality. Outside of certain well-targeted areas of our Atlantic coast, it is preferable to grow it in a pot, where the substrate and wintering conditions can be controlled. In the garden, it can be associated, for example, with Galvezia speciosa, Gomphostigma virgatum, Diosma, Dierama, or even with white or red shrubby heathers.

 

 

Boronia megastigma Tui in pictures

Boronia megastigma Tui (Flowering) Flowering
Boronia megastigma Tui (Foliage) Foliage

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1 m
Spread at maturity 90 cm
Habit Irregular, bushy
Growth rate fast

Flowering

Flower colour two-tone
Flowering time April to May
Inflorescence Solitary
Flower size 1 cm
Fragrance Very fragrant, Pleasant.
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms
Flowering description Bi-coloured, fragrant.

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour dark green
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased
Foliage description Evergreen.

Botanical data

Genus

Boronia

Species

megastigma

Cultivar

Tui

Family

Rutaceae

Other common names

Brown Boronia

Origin

Australia

Product reference162271

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Planting and care

Cultivation: delicate

The 'Tui' Boronia is hardy down to -5°C (23 °F) at the extreme, but loses its leaves as soon as the thermometer drops below 0°C (32 °F). Plant it in the ground or in pots preferably in spring. Choose a semi-shaded location. The soil should be light, well-draining, and ideally neutral to acidic: a mix of peat, sand, and compost is ideal. Water the Boronia with non-calcareous or lightly calcareous water in summer, as this plant requires some coolness to flower and thrive. Mulch the base if necessary. This plant is susceptible to Phytophthora, a fungus that attacks the roots in soils that are both too wet and warm. The lifespan of Boronia is quite short, around 5 to 6 years. Regular pruning extends their lifespan slightly.

If grown in a pot, it should be taken out as soon as frost is no longer a concern. Choose a large container, as the planting substrate should always retain some moisture. Store your Boronia frost-free in autumn, in a cold greenhouse, in a lightly heated conservatory or a bright and cool room.

Pruning is not necessary, except to remove dead branches or rebalance the habit. But to make it denser, you can slightly shorten the tips of the branches just after flowering. Pruning later will compromise next year's flowering.

 

Planting period

Best planting time March to April
Recommended planting time March to May

Intended location

Suitable for Woodland edge
Type of use Border, Container, Greenhouse
Hardiness Hardy down to -6°C (USDA zone 9a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Experienced
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Partial shade
Soil pH Acidic
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Moist soil, Light, well-draining

Care

Pruning instructions Pruning is not necessary, unless it is to remove dead branches or rebalance the habit. But to make it denser, the ends of the branches can be lightly shortened just after flowering. Pruning later will compromise the flowering of the following year.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time August to September
Soil moisture Moist soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Needs to be stored

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