Little Evodia Blush

Little Evodia 'Blush' (Melicope rubra 'Blush') is the small tree to plant if you want bird and insect life in the garden. From the north Queensland rainforest, it reaches about 5m tall and 3m wide and covers its stems in clusters of soft pink flowers through the warmer months. It is best known for drawing in the Ulysses butterfly.

Why you'll love it

• Butterflies find it. Few garden trees pull in as much life. Ulysses and other butterflies work the blooms, with native bees and honeyeaters close behind.
• Pink flowers on bare wood. The clusters form directly on stems and branches, so the whole framework colours up, not just the tips.
• A genuine small garden tree. At about 5m by 3m it gives canopy and shade without taking over a courtyard or side garden.
• It handles damp ground. Rainforest origins mean it tolerates soil that stays wet, and humidity does not trouble it.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single tree near an outdoor living area puts the flowers and butterflies at eye level, and the canopy is open enough to plant beneath.

Small gardens and courtyards. The modest 3m spread suits townhouse blocks and side gardens where a fig or a poinciana would be impossible.

Screening and privacy. For a loose informal screen, plant 1.5m to 2m apart. That spacing lets the canopies meet while leaving each tree light enough to stay furnished low down.

Growing Little Evodia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering, part shade for a looser tree. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and frosty southern gardens are out unless you have a sheltered warm wall.

Soil. Rich, organic and moisture retentive, so dig compost through the bed at planting. Unusually for a small tree it copes with ground that stays wet, which makes a low damp corner workable.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers and in dry spells afterwards, because this is not a drought tolerant tree. Feed a controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and late summer.

Pruning. Light, and only after flowering. Tip prune young trees to build a branched framework. Since flowers form on older stems, hard pruning costs you the next display.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in seven sizes: tube, 140mm in packs of ten, 250mm in packs of three, 300mm, 25L, 45L and 100L. Tubes and 140mm plants are young whips and the value choice for a group planting. The 45L and 100L trees arrive branched and already carrying height.

Plants travel upright, and a little leaf drop in transit is normal on a soft leafed rainforest tree. Expect new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather, and the first real flowering in the second or third season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing a native garden that attracts wildlife
• More plants for bees and butterflies
• Small trees for urban gardens
• Browse the native tree range

Common questions

Will it really bring butterflies to my garden?

In tropical and subtropical gardens within their range, yes, this is one of the reliable drawcards. Further south butterfly numbers drop away, though the flowers still feed native bees and honeyeaters.

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

1.5m to 2m apart gives a soft screen that closes over in a few seasons. It stays an open informal tree, so do not expect the solid wall a clipped hedge delivers.

Can it take frost?

No. It is frost tender at any age and young plants are most vulnerable. In marginal areas grow it against a north facing wall, or in a pot that can shift under cover.