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Baeckea gunniana

Common name:		Family:	Myrtaceae
Author:	Schauer.	Botanical references:	154, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Australia - New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.
Habitat:	Bogs and wet rocky sites, especially by water courses in alpine regions to 1800 metres.
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Myrtales. Myrtle family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen shrub growing to 1.5m by 2m . It is hardy to zone 9. It is in leaf all year. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.

Edible Uses

Tea.

The leaves are a tea substitute, they are very refreshing and aromatic. A citrus-like flavour[144].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a position in full sun in a fertile moisture retentive well-drained soil[200].
This species is not very hardy in Britain, though it should survive outdoors in the very mildest areas of the country, especially if given a sheltered position. Plants in Australian gardens tolerate temperatures down to at least -7° c[157], but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters.
The leaves emit a powerful camphor-like scent when handled[245].
This species is very closely related to and perhaps synonymous with B. utilis[157].
A rock garden plant[157], it seems to maintain its prostrate habit even when grown at lower altitudes[157].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in spring or autumn in a greenhouse and keep the compost moist until germination takes place. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame[200].

Scent

Leaves: Crushed: The leaves emit a powerful camphor-like scent when handled.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Myrtaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[144] Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976 ISBN 0-00-634436-4
A very good pocket guide.

[154] Ewart. A. J. Flora of Victoria.
A flora of eastern Australia, it is rather short on information that is useful to the plant project.

[157] Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0
A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.