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Australian Native Plants

Mint Bush

20 years ago

I purchased the plant in the photo some years ago and it was labelled as Prostanthera aspalathoides. Little did I know at the time that the label was wrong and I'm now trying to get a name for it.

The foliage looks like a Prostanthera, it has a minty scent when foliage is crushed, slightly stick foliage and has red flowers as in photo. It grows 60cm x 60cm in an open habit.

Does anyone know this plant.

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Comments (6)

shaxhome (Frog Rock, Australia 9b)
20 years ago
To be honest, yours looks very much like P.aspalathoides...the leaves on yours appear to be a little finer, but the flower is a dead ringer...can't think of any other red flowering Prostantheras off-hand...

Regards,
Shax

Here is a link that might be useful: Prostanthera
justcorreas
Original Author
20 years ago
The plant in the photo is Salvia splendens, Scarlet Sage. An annual from Brazil.

You just can't trust a label, can you.
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I planted one on Camano Island. It froze. However, a friend has one in Seattle. I have seen others around Seattle as well. Every plant has a minimum temperature below which it dies. Only a brief exposure is necessary to kill it. As long as your site stays above the minimum temperature for this one - something that may vary from one seedling or clone to the next - it will survive. As soon as it falls below it, goodbye! This importance of the minimum temperature is why various tender plants are being hailed by the inexperienced as 'hardy' here, we have had some years of high minimum temperatures. Variations in hardiness between different seedlings, races or cultivars also explains variable results, with what is being considered one plant (but actually isn't) found to be hardy for one person but not another. Often entire species of gums, for instance, are discussed as though they were clones, when in fact these are grown from seed, and sometimes vary widely in hardiness even within the same batch.
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Hi Simon, Isn't it great fun cutting back a garden to uncover hidden gems! You'll be glad to know that this variation of Banksia spinulosa will respond well from coppicing to the lignotuber (yes, it is a lignotuber!). The only species of B. spinulosa that you will kill from cutting back is B spinulosa var. cunninghammii, as it does not grow from a lignotuber. You certainly don't have this variety as its leaves have more of a pronounced serrated margin (and yours is obviously growing from a lignotuber). There's no need to simulate a fire before you cut it back, they respond just fine to hard pruning alone. I'd be cutting it back at the beginning of, or at some point during winter before it sets flower. This is when the lignotuber, essentially an energy storing organ, has the most stored nutrients in it, ready for flowering and growth. If you wanted to, you could put down a VERY LIGHT feed of specialised protea fertiliser now in prep for it's cut back at winter's beginning, this should help it along. This species also responds well to formative pruning when growing after a cut-back. It will give you a neater, and more dense shrub with more flowers. Don't be afraid to prune it as it grows is size after your cutting it back! Good luck, I hope it all goes well and you uncover some more hidden gems in your garden. Cheers, Jim
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lomatia
20 years ago
I had one growing at some stage but I think it was too wet for it and it karked it. P. aspalathoides grows in the drier areas of Victoria I think.
nathanhurst
20 years ago
It comes from the little desert and the grampians I believe.
valvicoz
19 years ago
hi justcorreas
i love correas and have grown a number from cuttings.
my main reason for contacting you is that you seem to be one of the more "active" members of gardenweb.
sometimes i wonder if there is anyone out there.
Where are you? How can we generate interest?My current interest is coping with the drought - succulents, natives etc. inner city Melbourne, but my heart is in the Country, so I pretend.
Are there any other OZ members out there who are interested?
BTW does everyone else have trouble with a very slow connection? I have Broadband, but on this site I need to reduce my typing speed or it misses.
justcorreas
Original Author
19 years ago
Hi There - I'm about a 40 minute drive s/e of your location. Generating interest is something we all try and have in common, but alas, we are all spread out across the continent and although we have the same goal, what works for one person, doesn't work for another. I think we'll all be effected by the drought this year by the time summer is over. If you follow the link to my web page you can get my email addy and we could chat off the forum if you prefer.

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