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Ixodia spp.
Southeastern Australia (South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales)
Overview
Ixodia spp. is a small genus of two or three species of shrubs in the daisy family, Asteraceae, endemic to southeastern Australia. The plants form bushy, woody shrubs roughly 1.5 to 5 feet (0.5 to 1.5 m) tall, with narrow, often sticky and aromatic leaves on slender, much-branched stems. From late spring into summer they carry broad, flat clusters of small daisy heads, each surrounded by stiff, papery white bracts around a yellow centre. Because these bracts are dry and stiff, the flower heads keep their shape and colour after cutting, and I. achillaeoides (mountain daisy) is grown commercially and picked from the wild for the dried- and cut-flower trade. The genus grows on rocky hillsides, ridges, and open forest in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales, on well-drained, often shallow soils. Plants are frost-tender to marginally hardy and are shorter-lived on wet or heavy ground, where they are prone to root disease.
Native Range
Ixodia spp. is endemic to southeastern Australia, occurring in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales. The shrubs grow on rocky slopes, ridges, and in open forest on well-drained soils.Suggested Uses
Ixodia spp. is used in native, water-wise, and rockery gardens in mild climates, and is grown commercially for cut and dried flowers. The papery white heads are cut for fresh and everlasting arrangements. The aromatic shrubs suit sunny banks and free-draining borders.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1'6" - 5'
Width/Spread1'6" - 5'
Colors
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs from late spring into summer, roughly November to February in the native range. The flat clusters carry many small daisy heads with stiff white papery bracts and yellow centres, which hold their form when dried. Bees, butterflies, and other insects visit the open flowers.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
white with yellow centreFoliage Description
green to grey-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Ixodia spp. grows in full sun in light, gravelly, sharply drained soils and tolerates dry, rocky, and shallow ground. The genus withstands drought once established and is frost-tender to marginally hardy, suited to roughly USDA zones 9 to 10 and mild Mediterranean-type climates. Wet, heavy, or poorly drained soils shorten plant life and encourage root rot. Plants grow more compactly with regular trimming and full light, becoming open and woody if left unpruned. Propagation is by seed or by semi-hardwood cuttings taken in summer.Pruning
Stems are cut back after flowering, or harvested in flower for drying, which also keeps the shrub compact. A harder trim in late winter renews leggy plants, though cutting into bare old wood is left undone. Regular picking of the flower clusters encourages branching.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons