Acradenia frankliniae - Care Guide

Despite this evergreen Tasmanian shrub not being widely known, it is a perfectly hardy and welcome addition to a shrub border or into a woodland garden.

Its 3in long leaves are aromatic and a glossy dark green with three narrow leaflets. It has star shaped white flowers in profusion in terminal clusters or corymbs from the previous year’s growth. Flowering time with us is in early May.

The plant does best with us in partial shade in the garden and is already looking to exceed the height of 10ft or so (with a spread of 4-6ft) which the reference books say is its maximum. It needs a fertile well drained soil and we grow it backed by camellias for wind protection.

A very similar evergreen small tree in its growth habit and origins in Tasmania would be Atherosperma moschatum. We grow these two plants close together near a Lomatia ferruginea from Chile.

Images to follow.

• ACRADENIA
• ACRADENIA frankliniae