Calytrix spp.

starflower

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant Fragrant (light)Container Friendly

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Calytrix spp. is a genus of evergreen shrubs in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), native to Australia and known as starflowers. Plants range from low, wiry subshrubs to upright bushes 1-10 feet (0.3-3 m) tall, clothed in small, crowded, heath-like leaves 0.1-0.5 inch (3-12 mm) long that are aromatic when crushed. In spring and early summer the stems are massed with small star-shaped flowers, each with five spreading petals and a persistent calyx whose lobes extend into slender awns that remain after the petals fall. Flower colour ranges through white, pink, mauve, and yellow across the genus. The lingering awned calyces give faded branches a feathery look for weeks after bloom. Calytrix spp. grows on sandy, gravelly, and rocky heath and scrub, mostly in southwestern and inland Australia, and depends on sharp drainage and full sun, failing on heavy, wet, or shaded ground. Many species are slow to establish and short-lived on unsuitable soils.

Native Range

Calytrix spp. is native to Australia, with the greatest number of species in the southwest of Western Australia and others across the southern and inland parts of the continent. Plants grow in heath, mallee, and open scrub on sandy, gravelly, or rocky, free-draining soils, often in nutrient-poor ground.

Suggested Uses

Calytrix spp. is used in native, heath, and dry-garden plantings and in low-water rockeries within warm, dry regions. Compact species suit containers and the front of sunny, sharply drained borders. Its need for full sun and sharp drainage rules out heavy or shaded sites.

How to Identify

Look for a wiry evergreen shrub with small, crowded, heath-like leaves and masses of small star-shaped flowers, each with five pointed petals. After the petals drop, the calyx lobes persist as slender awns that give the spent flowers a bristly, feathery look. The awned, long-lasting calyx separates Calytrix spp. from other small-leaved myrtle shrubs.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 10'

Width/Spread1' - 8'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering is concentrated in spring and early summer, roughly August to December in Australia, with the heaviest display after a wet winter. The awned calyces stay colourful for several weeks after the petals fall, extending the show. Some species flower again lightly after summer rain.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White, pink, mauve, or yellow

Foliage Description

Green to grey-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 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 Range5.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-4 years to flowering size

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Plants grow in full sun on sharply drained sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil and tolerate heat and drought once established, but they fail quickly on heavy, wet, or shaded ground. They suit warm-temperate and Mediterranean climates (about USDA 9-11) and react badly to high soil phosphorus, like other Australian myrtles. Light watering during establishment helps, after which most species need little. Good airflow reduces fungal problems on the crowded foliage. Plants are often short-lived, lasting several years, and are renewed from seed or cuttings.

Pruning

Light tip pruning after flowering keeps plants bushy and removes the spent, awned heads. Most species do not reshoot well from bare old wood, so hard cutting is avoided. Trimming is kept within the leafy growth.