Australian Cultivar Registration Authority

Description: Correa decumbens 'Mama Maria', Taken: 17 January 2019, [HERBARIUM SPECIMEN] ACRA NO: Acc 854 Copyright : Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR) holds copyright
Photographer: Palmer, R.

Description:
Photographer: Maria Hitchcock

Correa 'Mama Maria'

File Number

854

ACRA Field Book Number

821

Registration Date

05/04/2001

Application Received

02/05/2000

Family

Rutaceae

Cultivar Name

Correa 'Mama Maria'

Origin

Chance seedling in the garden of Maria Hitchcock on the western outskirts of Armidale in northern NSW. Maria is Leader of the ASGAP Correa Study Group and has a large living collection of Correas in her extensive garden. It is believed that this seedling is a hybrid between Correa 'Dusky Bells' and a form of Correa decumbens. The name 'Mama Maria' was selected as a way of associating the hybrid to the grower who was born in Austria and is of European parentage. The word 'Mama' is European in origin and means 'mother' or 'leader of the household'. The name therefore associates the plant with Leader of the Study Group..

Characteristics

The mature plant is 60 cm x 1. 5 m with a rounded shape and is very compact and dense. Leaves simple narrow elliptical, dark-green, 32 mm x 10 mm, petioles 5 mm, leaf apices obtuse, leaf bases oblique, venation reticulate but barely visible, margins entire. Calyx hemispherical 4 mm x 3 mm, green coloured with scattered tiny rust-coloured stellate hairs and minutely toothed, pedicels to 3 mm. Corolla cylindrical 14 mm from calyx to tip, rose pink covered with rose-coloured stellate hairs with pale green tips. Stamens strongly exerted with oblong yellow anthers with longitudinal dehiscence and pale green filaments. Style green, slightly shorter than the stamens. Flowering begins in February and continues through autumn. Diagnosis: This plant has an affinity to both parent plants. The flower colour is a brighter pink than either parent plant and C. 'Mama Maria' has pale green tips unlike C. 'Dusky Bells' which has uniform pink throughout the length of the corolla but like C. decumbens which has green tips. Flowers stand out horizontally from stems in this hybrid while C. decumbens has flowers which stand upright and at a number of angles on stems and C. 'Dusky Bells' has flowers which hang down from stems. Leaves are an intergrade between the two parent plants, having the narrow elliptical shape of C. decumbens although longer and wider.

Cultivation

This cultivar is fast-growing in cultivation and is very hardy, withstanding frost, drought and hot sun. It is very dense and has great potential as a groundcover and small plant suited to a wide range of landscaping options including tub planting and public amenity planting. It is easy to strike from cuttings and maintains its compact shape without pruning. Like other Correas, it attracts birds such as spinebills. The plant requires little or no maintenance and would be suited to a wide range of climatic and soil conditions.

Publication

Hitchcock, M. (2003), Descriptions of the Species, Varieties and Cultivars. Australian Plants 22(174): 23

Colour Coding

RHS Colour chart Flowers: Corolla: 54A 2DMature Leaves: 147A -147 C/D

Propagation

Cuttings from semi-firm new growth

Applicant Name

Maria Hitchcock

Uses

Useful as a groundcover and small plant suited to a wide range of landscaping options including tub planting and public amenity planting

Availability

ANPSA Correa Study Group

ANBG Accession Numbers

ACC854, ACRA821, CANB617151

NSL ID

-