Acmadenia Starblush

Acmadenia 'Starblush' (Acmadenia alternifolia 'Starblush') is a neat South African shrub that flowers pink from late winter and smells faintly of citrus when you brush past it. It holds a tidy dome about 80cm tall and wide, asks for very little water once established, and is one of the better small shrubs for a hot, sharply drained corner where the soil is poor.

Why you'll love it

• Aromatic foliage. It belongs to the citrus family, and the fine leaves release a clean resinous scent when brushed, so it belongs beside a path.
• Pink flowers when little else is out. Starry pink blooms cover the plant from late winter into spring, ahead of most of the garden.
• It thrives on neglect. Drought tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil. Rich beds and heavy watering are what kill it.
• A tidy 80cm dome. It keeps its own shape without shearing, which suits a small garden or a pot on a hot balcony.
• Bees and butterflies work the flowers. An early nectar source in a season with little competition for it.

Where it works best

Rockeries and dry banks. This is its natural fit. Sharp drainage and lean soil produce a denser plant with more flowers than any amount of feeding will.

Borders and mass planting. Plant 60cm apart for a low massed border. At that spacing the domes touch without crowding, which matters because still, humid air inside a congested planting causes most losses.

Pots, small gardens and coastal beds. A 300mm to 400mm pot guarantees drainage that garden soil may not. Salt tolerance also lets it hold an exposed seaside front garden.

Growing Acmadenia 'Starblush' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with plenty of air movement around the plant. It suits warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens. Light frost is its limit, so cold inland and tableland gardens should grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover for winter.

Soil. Sharp drainage is not negotiable. Sandy, gravelly and poor soils are ideal. On clay, plant on a raised mound with coarse sand and gravel worked through, or use a pot.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to settle the roots, then only in long dry spells. Feed lightly, once in early spring, with a low phosphorus native fertiliser. High phosphorus products damage plants from this group.

Pruning. Tip prune lightly straight after flowering to keep the dome full. Do not cut back into old bare wood, because it is slow and unreliable at reshooting from it.

What to expect when it arrives

Starblush is grown in tubes: young rooted plants around 100mm to 200mm tall, which reach the full 80cm within two to three seasons. Small plants also establish more reliably than large ones in this group, because the roots adapt to your soil rather than sitting in a different mix.

Tubes are light and travel well. Plant within a few days of arrival, water in once, then be sparing, because more of these shrubs are lost to kindness than to drought. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• A guide to fragrant and aromatic plants
• Rockery plants for sharp drainage
• Coastal and salt tolerant plants
• Small shrubs for compact gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

60cm apart for a low massed border. Stick to that even if it looks sparse at first, because air movement between the plants keeps them healthy.

Why is my plant dying back in patches?

Almost always drainage. Shrubs from this group will not tolerate soil that stays wet, particularly over winter. Raise the bed, coarsen the mix, and water less rather than more.

Does it need a special fertiliser?

Use a low phosphorus fertiliser, the kind sold for native plants. Standard high phosphorus products can burn the roots of this group and set the plant back badly.