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Kunzea pomifera

Muntries

Myrtaceae Southern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant Fragrant (light)Container Friendly

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–10

Overview

Kunzea pomifera is an evergreen, woody, prostrate to low-spreading shrub growing 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) tall and spreading 3-10 feet (0.9-3 m) wide, with trailing stems that root where they touch the ground. The small leaves are oval to wedge-shaped, 0.1-0.3 inch (3-8 mm) long, glossy dark green and crowded along the stems. Small white to cream flowers about 0.2-0.3 inch (5-8 mm) across, with five petals and many protruding stamens, open in dense clusters along the stems in late spring and summer. The fruit is a fleshy, rounded berry 0.2-0.5 inch (5-12 mm) across, green ripening to red-purple, with a sweet, spicy, apple-like flavor. Berries ripen in late summer and autumn and are harvested as a bush food. The plant forms a dense mat over soil and rock and tolerates sandy, low-fertility ground, salt-laden wind, and drought once established.

Native Range

Native to southern Australia, in South Australia, western Victoria, and far south-western New South Wales, with coastal and near-coastal populations. Grows on sandy soils and limestone in coastal heath, dune scrub, and mallee, often in exposed positions.

Suggested Uses

Grown as a groundcover and bush-food crop in gardens, on banks, and in coastal plantings, spaced 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 m) apart. The berries are eaten fresh and used in jams, sauces, and baking. The trailing habit suits rockeries, raised beds, and spilling over walls.

How to Identify

Recognized by a prostrate woody habit with rooting stems, small glossy dark green leaves 0.1-0.3 inch (3-8 mm) long, and white five-petalled flowers with many stamens. The fleshy red-purple berry 0.2-0.5 inch (5-12 mm) across with an apple-like scent separates it from other Kunzea spp. species, which produce dry capsules. Stems form a dense ground-hugging mat.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 1'

Width/Spread3' - 10'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowers from November to January, with peak bloom in early summer. Flower clusters open over several weeks and draw bees and other insects. Berries develop through late summer and ripen from green to red-purple in autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white to cream

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

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

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand chalk rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-4 years to fruiting

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun on well-drained sandy or limestone soils and tolerates coastal exposure, salt wind, and drought once established. Plants grow slowly and fruit more in open, sunny positions with good airflow. Occasional deep watering during the first dry season and through fruit set supports establishment and crop size. Root rot develops in heavy or poorly drained soils. Birds take ripening berries, and the low mat can be invaded by weeds until it closes over.

Pruning

Light trimming after fruiting keeps the mat dense and removes straggly stems. Plants tolerate cutting back to green growth but are slow to reshoot from bare old wood. Rooted stems can be separated to propagate new plants.