{"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","url":"https:\/\/nurserynearme.com.au\/products\/nsw-christmas-bush-ceratopetalum-gummiferum","provider":"Nursery Near Me","version":"1.0","type":"link"}