Prickly Pine / Frosty Bursaria
Origin of name
Family: PITTOSPORACEAE
- Bursaria meaning “pouch or bag“
- incana meaning “grey“
Occurrence
A local plant of open forest, sometimes in vine thickets and monsoon forest.
Not commonly cultivated. Needs good drainage and prefers full sun. Tolerates dryness. Prune appropriately & apply extra water to produce a denser, better shaped canopy.
Appearance
Small, sparse tree, 3-7m. Large clusters of small, white, sweetly perfumed flowers (Feb-Apr) lead to flattened, brown, heart-shaped seed pods (~10mm). Older plants (2-3 yrs, 1-2m) lack the spines found on young growth.
Spectacular flowers attract birds, beetles, moths, wasps, native bees, ants etc. Food plant for larvae of the Twig Looper moth and the Dull Copper butterfly.
