NSW Christmas Bush

NSW Christmas Bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum) 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.

Why you'll love it

• Red colour for Christmas. 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.
• Two shows a year. Masses of small white starry flowers cover the plant in spring, and the red follows as the weather warms.
• A proper cut flower. Long coloured stems keep well in water, and cutting them for the house is all the pruning most plants need.
• Handsome foliage all year. The leaves are divided into three narrow, toothed leaflets, with soft bronze new growth.
• An eastern Australian native. It comes from the coast and ranges of New South Wales and is at home in bushland style and native gardens.

Where it works best

Feature shrub. Give it a spot where the December colour can be seen from the house or the street, with room to reach 3m across.

Informal screen. Plant 2 to 2.5m apart for a loose native screen 4m or more tall. It is better left natural than clipped tight.

Cutting garden. A plant or two near a path makes it easy to pick stems through the season.

Growing NSW Christmas Bush in Australia

Position and climate. 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.

Soil. 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.

Water and feed. 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.

Pruning. 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.

What to expect when it arrives

We 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.

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

• Australian native shrubs
• Browse the full range of Australian natives
• Native plants with red flowers for your garden

Common questions

Why are the flowers on my plant white?

The 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.

Will it be red exactly at Christmas?

Timing 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.

Why did my Christmas bush die suddenly?

The 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.