Persoonia lanceolata
lance-leaf geebung
Overview
Persoonia lanceolata is an upright shrub 3-10 feet (1-3 m) tall, with smooth reddish to grey bark that flakes on older stems. The alternate leaves are lance-shaped to oval, 1-3.5 inches (2.5-9 cm) long and 0.4-1.2 inches (10-30 mm) wide, leathery, flat, and dull green. Small bright yellow flowers about 0.4 inch (10 mm) long are tubular with four narrow recurved lobes, borne singly or in small groups along the stems through summer and autumn. The flowers are followed by fleshy green drupes about 0.3-0.5 inch (8-12 mm) long, each containing one or two seeds. The green fruit, called geebungs, ripen and fall to the ground, where they are eaten by mammals and birds. It grows in dry sclerophyll woodland and heath on sandy soils in coastal and near-coastal New South Wales. Seed is slow and hard to germinate, which makes the species difficult to propagate and slow to re-establish after clearing. Plants resprout from the base after fire in some populations, while others rely on seed.
Native Range
Persoonia lanceolata is native to coastal and near-coastal New South Wales, Australia. It grows in dry sclerophyll woodland and heath on sandy soils.Suggested Uses
Persoonia lanceolata is grown in native and low-water gardens on sandy soils and in bushland restoration in coastal New South Wales. Its summer-to-autumn yellow flowers and fleshy fruit suit habitat plantings for native birds and mammals.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height3' - 10'
Width/Spread3' - 8'
Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dull greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Persoonia lanceolata grows in full sun to light shade on sandy, sharply drained, low-fertility soils and tolerates dry conditions once established. Like many Proteaceae it grows poorly in rich or phosphorus-heavy soils, which can damage the roots. It is slow and hard to raise from seed, as germination is erratic, and it is rarely grown from cuttings. It withstands light frost in USDA zones 9-10. Established plants need little water and are damaged by root disturbance. Growth is moderate to slow, and plants take several years to reach flowering size.Pruning
Light tip pruning after flowering keeps the shrub bushy, and Persoonia lanceolata tolerates trimming into older wood more readily than many Proteaceae. Hard pruning is risky on plants that do not resprout, so cuts are kept to leafy growth. Removing spent fruit is not needed.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
fall
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons