{"title":"NSW Christmas Bush (Ceratopetalum)","description":"\u003cp\u003eNSW Christmas Bush is a native shrub or small tree from the coast and ranges of New South Wales, loved for the red display it puts on in December. The colour is not the flowers themselves. Small white flowers open in spring, then the sepals behind them swell and turn red. It is a fine cut flower and a handsome garden plant where drainage is sharp. Choose between the species and named red selections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to choose a Christmas bush\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"\/products\/nsw-christmas-bush-ceratopetalum-gummiferum\"\u003eNSW Christmas Bush\u003c\/a\u003e is the species. It grows as a large shrub or small tree of four to six metres in gardens, and because it is raised from seed or cuttings the colour varies a little from plant to plant, from pink red to red. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/christmas-bush-ceratopetalum-albery-s-red\"\u003eAlberys Red Christmas Bush\u003c\/a\u003e is a long established selection chosen for its deep red sepals, and it is the form most often grown for cut flowers. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/christmas-bush-ceratopetalum-shiraz\"\u003eShiraz Christmas Bush\u003c\/a\u003e is another named selection grown for its colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"\/products\/coachwood-ceratopetalum-apetalum\"\u003eCoachwood\u003c\/a\u003e is a close relative and a different kind of plant: a rainforest tree of ten to fifteen metres in gardens, with smooth, grey, fragrant bark, white flowers in late spring and pinkish red sepals in summer, quieter than those of Christmas Bush.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere Christmas bush grows\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChristmas Bush comes from sandstone country, and that tells you what it wants: free draining, slightly acidic soil, a cool, mulched root run and no wet feet. It grows in sun or light shade in temperate and subtropical gardens, and colours most strongly with plenty of sun. It tolerates light frost only once established. Coachwood wants moist, humus rich soil, shelter from hot wind and part shade when young, and is not a tree for dry, exposed sites.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDo not confuse it with New Zealand Christmas bush, which is a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/metrosideros\"\u003emetrosideros\u003c\/a\u003e with red brush flowers and quite different needs. For companions that like the same lean, well drained soil, see our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/australian-native-shrubs\"\u003eAustralian native shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/waratahs\"\u003ewaratahs\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting and spacing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant on a mound or a slope if the soil is at all heavy. Christmas Bush dislikes root disturbance, so ease it gently from the pot, do not tease out the roots, and choose its position carefully because it resents being moved. Space plants two to three metres apart for an informal screen. Mulch with leaf litter or coarse bark, kept clear of the trunk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare basics\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater regularly for the first two summers, and after that through dry spells in spring, when the flowers and sepals are forming. Feed only with a low phosphorus fertiliser made for native plants, lightly, in spring. Ordinary garden fertilisers carry too much phosphorus and can harm it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrune after the red display finishes, by cutting stems for the vase or trimming by up to a third. This keeps the plant bushy and brings more flowering wood for the following year. Avoid cutting into bare old wood. The \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/how-to-grow-nsw-christmas-bush\"\u003eNSW Christmas bush growing guide\u003c\/a\u003e explains how to get the red display and when to prune.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy is my Christmas Bush white, not red?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe white stage is the true flowers, which open in spring. The sepals behind them redden afterwards, usually by December.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs it the same as New Zealand Christmas bush?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. NSW Christmas Bush is a Ceratopetalum. New Zealand Christmas bush is a Metrosideros, an unrelated plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I cut Christmas Bush for a vase?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. It is a long lasting cut flower, and cutting stems in December doubles as the annual prune.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy did my Christmas Bush die suddenly?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsually wet feet or disturbed roots. It needs sharp drainage and should be left alone once planted.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"christmas-bush-ceratopetalum-albery-s-red","title":"Christmas Bush - Ceratopetalum ‘Albery’s Red’","description":"\u003cp\u003eChristmas Bush 'Albery's Red' (\u003cem\u003eCeratopetalum gummiferum\u003c\/em\u003e 'Albery's Red') is the selection grown for the depth of its summer colour. It reaches about 4m tall and 2.5m wide, holds fine glossy foliage all year, and from late spring carries small white flowers that give way to the enlarged red calyces the plant is known for. That colour builds over weeks and holds through Christmas, which no flower could manage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeeks of colour, not days.\u003c\/strong\u003e The red comes from the calyces swelling after the flowers finish, so the display lasts far longer than a normal flowering shrub.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA native that suits a small garden.\u003c\/strong\u003e At 4m by 2.5m it fits a suburban block, a courtyard corner or a narrow bed against a fence.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTough where it counts.\u003c\/strong\u003e Drought tolerant once established, salt tolerant on a coastal block, comfortable in humidity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGood for birds and bees.\u003c\/strong\u003e The spring flowers are worked by bees and butterflies, and small birds shelter in the fine foliage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScreening and informal hedging.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 1.5m apart for an informal screen. This is not a plant for a tightly clipped formal hedge: the appeal is the loose upright habit, and hard shearing removes the wood that carries the colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant near an entry or a paved area gives a neat evergreen shrub for eleven months and a landmark in December.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCoastal and small gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e Salt tolerance makes it a sound choice within a few streets of the beach, and the modest width suits a bed only 2m deep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Christmas bush in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the strongest red; part shade produces a looser plant with paler colour. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so protect young plants through their first two winters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Sandy, gravelly or loamy soil with genuinely free drainage. It resents wet feet more than almost anything else, so mound the bed on clay. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, after which it manages on rainfall. Feed once in early spring with a native fertiliser. Overfeeding produces soft growth and less colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune straight after the red finishes, usually late summer, taking up to a third off the previous season's growth. Pruning later removes the wood that would have carried the next display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChristmas bush is grown here as tube stock: a young plant around 15 to 25cm tall with a well developed root system. That is how most Australian natives are best planted, because small plants establish faster and anchor better than pot bound larger stock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExpect the first worthwhile colour in the second or third summer, and a closed screen at 1.5m spacing by the third or fourth year. Plant tubes out promptly, water twice a week through the first summer, and resist the urge to feed heavily. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/top-bird-attracting-native-plants-for-australian-gardens\"\u003eNative plants that bring in birds\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/australian-native-shrubs\"\u003eBrowse Australian native shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-coastal-areas\"\u003ePlants for coastal gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-trees\"\u003eOther flowering trees and large shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy is my Christmas bush not colouring up?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsually shade, or pruning at the wrong time. It needs full sun for strong red, and it must be cut soon after the display finishes, because pruning in autumn or spring removes the wood that carries the next one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a screen?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.5m apart in a single row. That gives an informal screen of roughly 4m within three to four years, with each plant keeping its natural upright shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it grow outside New South Wales?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. It performs well in subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, including coastal Victoria, South Australia and southern Western Australia, provided drainage is sharp and frost is light. In a pot 500mm or wider it will hold for a few years, though it is happier in the ground long term.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51640472437055,"sku":"CER-ALB-RED-tube","price":22.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":55100452012351,"sku":"CER-ALB-RED-140MM-P10","price":261.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":55100451946815,"sku":"CER-ALB-RED-200MM-P6","price":313.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"300mm","offer_id":55100451848511,"sku":"CER-ALB-RED-300MM","price":214.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"400mm","offer_id":55100451881279,"sku":"CER-ALB-RED-400MM","price":468.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100L","offer_id":55100451914047,"sku":"CER-ALB-RED-100L","price":783.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Christmas-Bush-Ceratopetalum-Alberys-Red.png?v=1794662400"},{"product_id":"christmas-bush-ceratopetalum-shiraz","title":"Christmas bush - Ceratopetalum Shiraz","description":"\u003cp\u003eChristmas Bush 'Shiraz' (\u003cem\u003eCeratopetalum gummiferum\u003c\/em\u003e 'Shiraz') is the selection to plant if you want the deepest red summer display from this native, on a shrub that stays a manageable 3m tall and 2m wide. Small white flowers open in spring, then the bracts behind them swell and colour to a deep wine red through December and January. It is an Australian native, it feeds birds and pollinators, and it asks very little once established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour when the garden needs it.\u003c\/strong\u003e The red display peaks over summer, when most flowering shrubs have finished.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDeeper red than the common form.\u003c\/strong\u003e 'Shiraz' was selected for bract colour, so the summer show holds its intensity rather than fading to pink.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA useful size.\u003c\/strong\u003e At 3m by 2m it screens a fence line or anchors a small garden without becoming a tree.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative, and busy with wildlife.\u003c\/strong\u003e Birds work the shrub and the spring flowers bring in bees and butterflies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDrought and salt tolerant.\u003c\/strong\u003e Once its roots are down it copes with dry spells and with salt wind on a coastal block.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant in a front garden or against a light wall carries the summer display, and the size suits a courtyard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformal screening.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 1.5m apart in a single row for a loose screen. It will not clip into a formal hedge, so treat it as a soft boundary rather than a wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots and coastal gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e A pot 500mm or wider holds it at around 2m. On the coast it takes salt wind, provided the drainage is sharp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Christmas Bush in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the best bract colour, and part shade gives you a looser, greener plant. It suits subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and it takes light frost only, so hard frosting inland and cold southern districts are not the place for it. Nor is the wet tropics, where the humidity works against it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Sandy, acidic and free draining is ideal. On heavy clay, mound the bed and open the soil with coarse sand and compost, because wet feet will kill it faster than any dry spell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then only in extended dry weather. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring. Standard garden fertilisers carry too much phosphorus for this one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Cut back by up to a third as soon as the red bracts finish, usually in late summer. The timing matters, because next season's flowers form on the growth that follows the cut. Regular pruning also keeps the base furnished instead of leggy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is sold as tube stock and in a 300mm pot for a more established plant. You are buying a young single stemmed plant with a small root system, not an instant shrub. Tube stock establishes quickly and usually catches larger stock within two seasons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExpect a quiet first few weeks after planting, then new growth through the first warm season. Most plants give a small display in their second or third summer and build from there. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse the wider \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/australian-native-shrubs\"\u003eAustralian native shrub range\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/discover-native-plants-with-red-flowers-for-your-garden\"\u003eNative plants with red flowers\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/designing-a-native-australian-garden-to-attract-wildlife\"\u003eDesigning a native garden that attracts wildlife\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompare \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003eplants suited to small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen does it turn red?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe white flowers open in spring, and the bracts behind them enlarge and darken through December and January. In a warm garden the colour usually holds for six to eight weeks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart for a screen?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne and a half metres apart. The plants meet at that spacing and read as a continuous informal screen, while each one keeps enough room to flower properly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLight frost only. Young plants are the most vulnerable, so shelter them for their first two winters. In districts with regular hard frosts, choose a frost hardy native instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51640486330687,"sku":"CER-SHI-tube","price":22.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"300mm","offer_id":68095647678783,"sku":"CER-SHI-300MM","price":165.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Christmas-bush-Ceratopetalum-Shiraz.png?v=1794662402"},{"product_id":"nsw-christmas-bush-ceratopetalum-gummiferum","title":"NSW Christmas Bush - Ceratopetalum gummiferum","description":"\u003cp\u003eNSW Christmas Bush (\u003cem\u003eCeratopetalum gummiferum\u003c\/em\u003e) is an evergreen native shrub or small tree that reaches 4 to 6m high and about 3m wide in gardens. Small white flowers open in spring, then the sepals behind each flower swell and turn red to pink-red around December. That summer colour, held on long stems that last well in a vase, is the reason to grow it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRed colour for Christmas.\u003c\/strong\u003e The display comes from the calyces, the sepals that sit behind each flower, not from the petals, so it holds for weeks after the white flowers have finished.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo shows a year.\u003c\/strong\u003e Masses of small white starry flowers cover the plant in spring, and the red follows as the weather warms.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA proper cut flower.\u003c\/strong\u003e Long coloured stems keep well in water, and cutting them for the house is all the pruning most plants need.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHandsome foliage all year.\u003c\/strong\u003e The leaves are divided into three narrow, toothed leaflets, with soft bronze new growth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAn eastern Australian native.\u003c\/strong\u003e It comes from the coast and ranges of New South Wales and is at home in bushland style and native gardens.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature shrub.\u003c\/strong\u003e Give it a spot where the December colour can be seen from the house or the street, with room to reach 3m across.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformal screen.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 2 to 2.5m apart for a loose native screen 4m or more tall. It is better left natural than clipped tight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCutting garden.\u003c\/strong\u003e A plant or two near a path makes it easy to pick stems through the season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing NSW Christmas Bush in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to part shade suits it, with shelter from strong hot wind. It grows best in warm temperate and cool temperate gardens and in milder subtropical areas. Established plants take light frost only, so protect young plants through their first winters in cold districts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free-draining, acidic soil is essential. Sandy loam with plenty of leaf litter is ideal. It dislikes wet feet, so plant on a mound or a slope in heavier ground, and it resents root disturbance: plant it once, without teasing the roots, and do not move it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water regularly for the first two summers, then deeply in dry spells, especially in spring while the colour is developing. Keep the roots cool under a thick mulch. Feed in spring with a low-phosphorus fertiliser made for native plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune as the colour fades, or simply cut the coloured stems for the vase. Shorten the flowered growth by up to a third and avoid cutting back into old bare wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell NSW Christmas Bush in 140mm pots in packs of 10, in 200mm pots in packs of 6, and as single plants in 300mm, 400mm and 500mm pots. These plants are the species, raised from seed or cuttings, so the depth of red varies a little from plant to plant. Slide the plant from its pot with the root ball intact, plant at the same depth, water in well and mulch. Our growers do not hold every size all year, so a size can show as on backorder at times. An order for a backorder size is confirmed with you before anything ships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/australian-native-shrubs\"\u003eAustralian native shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/australian-natives\"\u003eBrowse the full range of Australian natives\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/discover-native-plants-with-red-flowers-for-your-garden\"\u003eNative plants with red flowers for your garden\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy are the flowers on my plant white?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe true flowers are white and open in spring. The red comes later, when the sepals enlarge and colour after the petals drop, usually around December.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it be red exactly at Christmas?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTiming shifts with the season and the district. In warmer areas the colour can peak in early December, and in cooler gardens it can run into January.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy did my Christmas bush die suddenly?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe usual causes are wet, heavy soil and damaged roots. Plant it in sharply drained acidic soil, keep the roots mulched and cool, and do not dig around it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":68095675400511,"sku":"CER-GUM-140MM-P10","price":217.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":68095675564351,"sku":"CER-GUM-200MM-P6","price":261.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"300mm","offer_id":68095675597119,"sku":"CER-GUM-300MM","price":164.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"400mm","offer_id":68095675629887,"sku":"CER-GUM-400MM","price":468.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"500mm","offer_id":68095675662655,"sku":"CER-GUM-500MM","price":742.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/nsw-christmas-bush-ceratopetalum-gummiferum.jpg?v=1794669040"},{"product_id":"coachwood-ceratopetalum-apetalum","title":"Coachwood - Ceratopetalum apetalum","description":"\u003cp\u003eCoachwood (\u003cem\u003eCeratopetalum apetalum\u003c\/em\u003e) is an evergreen rainforest tree from the gullies of New South Wales and southern Queensland. It grows 10 to 15m tall and about 6m wide in gardens, and up to 25m in forest. It is grown for its smooth, grey, fragrant bark, often ringed with pale bands of lichen, and for a quiet flush of pinkish-red in summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBark worth a close look.\u003c\/strong\u003e The trunk is smooth and grey with a sweet scent, and with age it often carries pale horizontal lichen bands.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers, then colour.\u003c\/strong\u003e Sprays of small white flowers open in late spring, and the calyces behind them turn pinkish-red through summer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA true rainforest canopy tree.\u003c\/strong\u003e It gives deep, cool, evergreen shade and suits planting with tree ferns, palms and other gully species.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA relative of NSW Christmas Bush.\u003c\/strong\u003e It belongs to the same genus, with a softer summer display and a much taller, straighter habit.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTidy leaves.\u003c\/strong\u003e Each leaf is a single toothed leaflet, dark green and leathery, with bronze-pink new growth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRainforest gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant it as an upper layer over ferns and shade plants, where the soil stays moist and leaf litter can build up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShade tree for a large garden.\u003c\/strong\u003e Allow 6 to 8m between trees and keep it well clear of buildings and paving. It is too big for a small suburban block.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSheltered gullies and south-facing slopes.\u003c\/strong\u003e It is at its best in a protected position out of hot, drying wind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Coachwood in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Coachwood wants shelter. Give young trees part shade and protection from hot wind, and they will grow up into full sun as they mature. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and mild cool temperate gardens with reliable moisture, and takes light frost once established. It is not a tree for dry, exposed sites.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil is what it grows in naturally. Dig in compost before planting and keep a deep layer of leaf mulch over the root zone. It prefers slightly acidic ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Keep the soil evenly moist, particularly through the first three summers and in any dry spell after that. Feed in spring with a low-phosphorus fertiliser for native plants and top up the mulch each year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Little pruning is needed. Remove low or crossing branches while the tree is young to show the trunk, and leave the canopy to form naturally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell Coachwood in 140mm pots in packs of 10 and in 200mm pots in packs of 6, which suits revegetation, rainforest plantings and larger properties. Young trees are best planted soon after arrival into prepared, moist soil. Water in well, mulch thickly and shade the plants through their first summer if the site is open. Our growers do not hold every size all year, so a size can show as on backorder at times. An order for a backorder size is confirmed with you before anything ships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/australian-native-trees\"\u003eAustralian native trees\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/australian-natives\"\u003eMore Australian native plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/rare-australian-native-plants-guide\"\u003eA guide to rare Australian native plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big will Coachwood get in my garden?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExpect 10 to 15m tall and about 6m wide over many years in cultivation. In its native forest it can reach 25m, so plan for a large tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs it the same as NSW Christmas Bush?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. They are close relatives, but Coachwood is a tall rainforest tree with single leaflets and a softer pinkish-red summer colour, while Christmas Bush is a large shrub with a brighter display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan it take full sun?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMature trees can, provided the roots stay moist. Young trees do better with part shade and wind shelter for their first few years.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":68095676416319,"sku":"CER-APE-140MM-P10","price":217.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":68095676449087,"sku":"CER-APE-200MM-P6","price":217.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/coachwood-ceratopetalum-apetalum.jpg?v=1794669049"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/collections\/nsw-christmas-bush-ceratopetalum-gummiferum.jpg?v=1794670174","url":"https:\/\/nurserynearme.com.au\/collections\/christmas-bush.oembed","provider":"Nursery Near Me","version":"1.0","type":"link"}