Slender Bursaria / Sweet Blackthorn
Origin of name
Family: PITTOSPORACEAE
- Bursaria meaing “pouch or bag“
- tenuifolia meaning “narrow-leaved“
Occurrence
A local plant, usually in open forest, but also in monsoon forest and rainforest margins. Often along stream banks.
Not commonly cultivated. Needs good drainage & does best in dappled shade. Prune to improve its natural shape.
Appearance
Slender tree, 3-8m. Large clusters of small, perfumed, white flowers (Oct-Dec) are followed by brown, heart-shaped, flattened seed pods (7-8mm). Mature plants lack the spines that occur on young growth.
Spectacular flowers attract many types of insect and then insectivorous birds. Food plant for caterpillars of the Twig Looper moth.
