Exocarpos strictus
Pale-fruit Ballart
Overview
Exocarpos strictus is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the sandalwood family, growing 3-13 feet (1-4 m) tall with an upright, broom-like form of slender green branchlets. The true leaves are reduced to tiny scales, so most photosynthesis happens in the green stems, giving the plant a wiry, broom-like appearance. Tiny greenish flowers, only about 0.04 inch (1 mm) across, cluster along the branchlets in spring and summer. Each fruit is a small hard nut that sits on a swollen, fleshy stalk turning white to pale pink when ripe, the feature behind the names pale-fruit ballart and dwarf cherry. Like other members of its family, it is a root hemiparasite, drawing water and nutrients from the roots of nearby plants while still making its own food. Native to southeastern Australia, it grows in open forest, woodland, and heath on well-drained sandy and rocky soils. Its dependence on host plants makes it hard to grow from seed or transplant in cultivation. The form is upright and twiggy rather than dense, and the small flowers and fruit are noticeable mainly at close range.
Native Range
Native to southeastern Australia, including Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, and South Australia. It grows in open forest, woodland, and heath on well-drained sandy and rocky soils.Suggested Uses
Used in native bushland and revegetation plantings among established host vegetation rather than as a standalone specimen. Suited to natural woodland and heath gardens on sandy soil, where it grows among other shrubs.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height3' - 13'
Width/Spread3' - 10'
Reaches mature size in approximately 8 years
Bloom Information
Tiny greenish flowers appear along the branchlets through spring and summer, roughly September to December. Each flower is only about a millimeter across, so the flowering is inconspicuous. The swollen, pale fruit stalks that follow are more visible than the flowers themselves.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
GreenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 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