Australian Cultivar Registration Authority

Description:
Photographer:

Correa alba var. alba 'Starlight'

File Number

765

ACRA Field Book Number

736

Registration Date

04/07/2006

Application Received

17/06/1999

Family

Rutaceae

Cultivar Name

Correa alba var. alba 'Starlight'

Origin

This cultivar is a selection from a wild population of Correa alba var. alba by a member of SGAP SA during the 1980's. Received 17th June 1999.Other details are unknown but it has been established in the nursery trade.

Characteristics

Erect medium sized shrub to c. 1.5 m x 1m with a dense habit. Branchlets finely tomentose with tan-coloured stellate hairs becoming green and sub glabrous with clusters of stellate hairs. Simple leaves broad elliptic or sub-circular, 20 mm x 18 mm. Leaf tips slightly broadly obtuse, leaf bases oblique, venation reticulate, margins slightly recurved. Upper surfaces of mature leaves dark green and coriaceous with splashes of yellow particularly around margins. Upper surfaces of young leaves not differentiated from older leaves. Lower surfaces minutely tomentose with tan-coloured stellate hairs. Peduncle not differentiated, pedicels 1mm long, light green minutely densely tomentose. Calyx hemispherical green and tomentose 1.5 mm long with slightly mucronate apices. Inflorescence terminal with up to 10 flowers on short axillary branchless. Corolla 10 mm x 10 mm with petals split to calyx, white with a fine tomentum of white stellate hairs. Peak flowering is from July to September in most districts with spasmodic flowering throughout the year. Diagnosis: This is the only known Correa alba var. alba with variegated foliage. This characteristic distinguishes it from other forms of C alba var. alba. All other characteristics conform to descriptions for C alba var. alba by Wilson (1977) except for inflorescences which appear to have a larger concentration of flowers than other forms. Flowers: 155 (C?) - white

Cultivation

This cultivar is drought hardy and moderately frost hardy. It has a dense growth habit with erect branches and some prostrate branches. The shrub is covered with clusters of terminal small white flowers which mature to tan in colour before shedding. It is easy to grow from cuttings and is lime tolerant. It is compact rarely requiring pruning and would appeal to gardeners who are looking for contrasting foliage or who enjoy variegation in plants. Flowering is prolific especially when grown in a sunny position. Its hardiness and low maintenance requirements make it suitable for amenity and public planting such as shopping centres.

Publication

Payne, W.H. (2001), Correa Cultivars. Australian Plants 21(169): 193

Colour Coding

RHS Colour Chart 1995 Leaves upper surface:137A-B, margins 9C Leaves lower surface:close to 193A

Propagation

Cuttings from semi-firm new growth

Applicant Name

Ms Cherree Densley, Killarney, Victoria on behalf of the Correa Study Group.

Uses

As part of a mass planting or mixed in a shrubbery, or as a feature plant. Attracts nectar feeding birds.

Availability

Specialist native plant nurseries

ANBG Accession Numbers

ACC765; ACRA736; CBG9914017.

NSL ID

-