Lottah Nursery Tasmania, Australia

Eucryphia lucida Ballerina

Syn. 'Pink Flowering Leatherwood'

Eucryphia lucida is endemic to Tasmania and is the source of the widely acclaimed 'leatherwood honey'.

'Ballerina' was selected by Ken Gillanders of Woodbank Nursery, Tasmania in 1986 as a large flowered pink form with crimson centre. Flowers are single, over 30 mm across, arising in pairs at nodes from late December to end February. It has been known to produce the occasional flower into mid-June.

In its native state, under optimal forest conditions, leatherwood grows as a tree to 30 m in height. 'Ballerina' develops slender shoots and we do not expect it to reach anywhere near this height. Under cultivation it should be possible to keep it a shrub at around 3 m, pruning after flowering to remove apical dominance if this ever becomes necessary.

Leaves: opposite, simple, linear, 40 x 15 mm with obtuse tips; fine pubescence on top surface and underside of ribs as well as the on the 4mm petiole are visible at low magnification; margins undulating, sometimes twisting clockwise. Internodes on young plants may be up to 110mm.

In common with other natives leatherwood this is best grown on soil at the lower end of pH; fertilizers need to have low phosphorous content.

(click on thumbnail for larger image)

Lilac Nursery Home Catalog Eucryphia

External link ANBG