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Image Credit: Gill Basnett – with permission
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Image Credit: Anna Povey – with permission
Scientific Name: Pimelea humilis
Common Name: dwarf riceflower
Family Classification (Clade): Eudicots
Family: Thymelaeaceae
Form Description: Small, tufted, many erect branches. Leaves 1cm, dark green, in opposite pairs.
Height (m): 0.05 – 0.35
Flowers: Heads many-flowered, white tubular at ends of branches, outside covered with short hairs.
Fruit: Drupe – pointed, dry.
Municipality
Plant Communities
Habitat Notes
Widespread in sclerophyll forests and fairly dry places.
Site Tolerance
Dry
Soil Tolerance
Fertile, Loam, Well-drained
Frost Tolerance
Moderate
General Notes
Flowers attract nectar seeking butterflies on sunny days. Found in a variety of soil types and adapts very well to cultivation. Likes moderately well-drained soil, sunny or semi-shaded site, is hardy to most frosts and withstands extended dry periods. Plants respond well to pruning and mature plants can be sheared hard to rejuvenate them. Resistant to Phytophthora cinnamomi.
Propagation Calendar
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Flowering Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec -
Seed Collecting Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec -
Sowing Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec -
Cutting Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Propagation Method
Seed Information
Seed Collection
Difficult to grow from seed. Seed releases very quickly when ripe especially in hot weather. Allow fruit to mature in warm place. Rub over screens to remove outer covering.
Seed Treatment Notes
Smoke treatment not effective for humilis species. Erratic success with burning of twigs and leaf litter on top of seed. May respond to combined heat and smoke treatment.
Cutting & Division Information
Usually grown from cuttings of barely firm young growth which strike readily. Care should be taken not to strip back the young bark. Young sucker growth is ideal for cuttings.