Common Name: Daphne Heath

General Information

Brachyloma ciliatum is a slender, evergreen, dwarf suckering shrub, often prostrate with ascending branches; it can grow 20 - 45cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, though it is rather difficult to cultivate.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - Southern Australia, Victoria and Tasmania

Habitat

Heathland and woodland on sandy or skeletal substrates[]. Dry, stony hills.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.30 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Brachyloma ciliatum is not very frost-hardy, tolerating only short-lived frosts a few degrees below freezing[]. It can only be grown outdoors in the milder regions of the temperate zone.
Requires a well-drained, humus-rich, neutral to acid soil and prefers a position in the dappled shade provided by an overhead canopy[]. Succeeds in full sun if grown in a moist soil that does not dry out in the summer, so long as there is some sort of protection from the sun at the roots[]. The plant thrives in a poor soil so long as it is of sufficiently open nature to allow the roots to spread widely in their search for nutrients[]. Plants do not respond well to fertilizers[].
Uncommon in cultivation, largely due to the difficulties in propagating the plant[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw]193].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - probably best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. Germination is difficult and unreliable. If seedlings are obtained, then prick them out into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in early summer and consider giving some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors.
The plant becomes woody very quickly, making it difficult to find material for cuttings[]. Where possible, take cuttings of firm young tip growths. They can take several months to form their fine and delicate roots[].