Kunzea

How to choose a kunzea

The Scarlet Kunzea, Kunzea baxteri, comes from the south coast of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub of 2 to 3 metres with grey green leaves and crimson brushes tipped with gold, mainly from late winter to spring. Plants raised from seed can take several years to begin flowering, so be patient with a young one. The Pink Scarlet Kunzea is a pink flowered form, and Mandy's Surprise is a dwarf selection for smaller gardens. The Granite Kunzea, Kunzea pulchella, grows on granite outcrops in the Western Australian wheatbelt and suits dry, open, rocky sites.

The Tick Bush, Kunzea ambigua, is native to the east coast from northern New South Wales to Tasmania. It grows 2 to 3 metres high with arching branches and is smothered in small white flowers in late spring and summer. The Prostrate Tick Bush is a low, spreading form of the same species for groundcover and banks.

Where kunzea grows

The Western Australian species suit Mediterranean and temperate climates with dry summers, such as Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and inland districts. They need full sun and free draining sandy or gravelly soil, tolerate coastal wind and light to moderate frost, and dislike humid summers. In Sydney and further north they are often short lived unless drainage and air movement are excellent.

Tick Bush is far more adaptable. It grows in sun or light shade, in sand or clay, on the coast and inland, through cool and warm temperate regions, and it handles frost. Its honey scented flowers are rich in nectar. One note of care: tick bush seeds readily into disturbed ground, so near bushland plant it only where it is local to your area.

Kunzeas fit naturally into a planting of Australian native shrubs, and tick bush earns a place among native bee plants. For close relatives see our tea trees.

Planting and spacing

Plant in autumn where summers are dry, or in spring in cold districts. Do not enrich the soil heavily. On clay, plant the Western Australian species on a mound or slope. For an informal screen, space the taller kunzeas 1.5 to 2 metres apart. Set the prostrate tick bush about a metre apart for a continuous cover. Mulch with a coarse, open mulch and keep it away from the stem.

Care basics

Water through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in spring if growth is pale, and otherwise leave them unfed. Prune lightly straight after flowering, tip pruning from a young age to keep the shrub dense. Avoid cutting back into thick, leafless wood on the Western Australian species, which may not reshoot. Tick bush is more forgiving and can be cut harder to renew it.

Common questions

Does tick bush attract bees?

Yes. In flower it is one of the busiest shrubs in a native garden, visited by native bees, beetles and butterflies.

How long does Scarlet Kunzea take to flower?

Seed raised plants may take five years or more. Cutting grown plants usually flower sooner.

Is kunzea frost hardy?

Tick bush handles frost well. Scarlet Kunzea and Granite Kunzea take light to moderate frost once established.

Will kunzea grow near the coast?

Yes. Both Scarlet Kunzea and Tick Bush tolerate coastal wind, given some shelter from the first line of salt spray.