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Billardiera cymosa

sweet apple-berry

Pittosporaceae Southern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Billardiera cymosa is a light twining shrub or scrambling climber reaching 3-10 feet (1-3 m), with slender wiry stems that wind through nearby shrubs or over a support. The narrow leaves are 0.4-1.2 inches (1-3 cm) long, dull green, with slightly wavy margins. Bell-shaped flowers about 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) long hang in small clusters from spring into summer, opening cream to pale blue and ageing to pink or mauve. The flowers are followed by cylindrical, soft-skinned berries 0.4-0.8 inch (1-2 cm) long that ripen purple-blue and have a sweet, edible pulp. Growth is moderate, and the wiry stems need a host or trellis to climb, as the plant cannot support itself. It tolerates dry, sandy soils once established but flowers and fruits less in deep shade.

Native Range

Native to southern Australia, including South Australia, western Victoria, and inland New South Wales. Grows in mallee, dry woodland, and heath on sandy and rocky soils, scrambling through low shrubs in semi-arid and coastal districts.

Suggested Uses

Grown on low trellises, fences, and through open shrubs in native and dry-climate gardens, and in bush-food plantings for its sweet edible berries. Suits sandy, free-draining sites at 24-36 inch (60-90 cm) spacing along a support. Its light twining habit suits weaving through established shrubs rather than covering large structures.

How to Identify

Recognised by wiry twining stems, narrow wavy-edged leaves, and hanging bell-shaped flowers that open cream to blue and age to pink. The cylindrical purple-blue berries with sweet pulp separate it from bluebell creepers with rounder fruit. Stems twine through host plants and reach 3-10 feet (1-3 m).

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 10'

Width/Spread2' - 5'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~16 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowers from spring into summer, mainly September to January. Flowers change colour with age, so cream, blue, and pink blooms often appear together on one plant. Berries ripen from late summer into autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

cream to blue, ageing pink

Foliage Description

dull green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to part shade in light, free-draining sandy or rocky soil and tolerates dry conditions once established. Water through the first year while the root system develops; mature plants need little water except in extended drought. A trellis, fence, or host shrub is needed, as the wiry stems climb by twining and cannot stand alone. Frost-hardy to about 25°F (-4°C) in well-drained sites. Root rot develops in heavy, wet soils. Few pests trouble it, and it regrows after light frost damage to the stem tips.

Pruning

Stems are trimmed after fruiting to keep the plant within its support and to remove tangled or dead growth. Light tip-pruning in spring promotes branching. The plant tolerates cutting back to renew straggly old stems.

Pruning Schedule

summer