{"product_id":"ceratopetalum-gummiferum","title":"NSW Christmas Bush - Ceratopetalum gummiferum","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice includes everything:\u003c\/strong\u003e the plant, free delivery and professional installation by our planting team. One price, whole job done.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eNSW Christmas Bush - Ceratopetalum gummiferum\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe red on a Christmas bush is not the flower. \u003cem\u003eCeratopetalum gummiferum\u003c\/em\u003e opens small white flowers in late spring, and it is the sepals behind them that then enlarge and colour from pink through to deep red, holding through December and giving the plant its name and its long display. It is a coastal New South Wales native with glossy trifoliate leaves and an upright, densely branched habit, and it is the one Australian plant genuinely tied to the summer festive season in the way northern hemisphere gardens use holly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eWhy NSW Christmas Bush\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLong Colour Hold\u003c\/strong\u003e: The coloured sepals persist for six to eight weeks, far longer than any true flower display.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSummer Timing\u003c\/strong\u003e: It peaks in December, filling a gap when most Australian gardens have finished their spring show.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut Stems\u003c\/strong\u003e: Branches last well in a vase, and cutting them doubles as the annual pruning the plant needs.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGlossy Trifoliate Foliage\u003c\/strong\u003e: Neat three part leaves with bronze new growth keep the plant looking clean year round.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUpright Habit\u003c\/strong\u003e: Naturally narrow and upright, so it fits into tight beds and side boundaries where a spreading native would not.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eIdeal Applications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeature Shrub near Entry\u003c\/strong\u003e: The December colour is at its most useful where visitors pass it.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNarrow Side Garden\u003c\/strong\u003e: The upright habit suits a restricted bed against a fence or wall.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCutting Garden\u003c\/strong\u003e: Grown specifically for summer cut stems, with the harvest keeping the plant compact.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCoastal Native Planting\u003c\/strong\u003e: Well suited to sandy, well drained coastal gardens within its natural range.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eSpecimen \u0026amp; Installation\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (screening\/hedge):\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5 to 2m\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (feature\/avenue):\u003c\/strong\u003e 3 to 4m\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest Planting Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Autumn and spring\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil \u0026amp; Drainage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Free draining sandy loam, acidic to neutral, enriched with organic matter. It will not tolerate heavy wet clay, so mound or raise the position in those soils\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEstablishment Care:\u003c\/strong\u003e Keep moisture up through spring and early summer in the first two years, as consistent water in that window is what builds the size of the December display. Mulch to 75mm clear of the stem, use only low phosphorus native fertiliser, shelter young plants from strong wind and frost, and prune hard immediately after the colour fades to keep the plant dense and force the new wood that carries next season's display.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003ePlant Details\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3 to 5m in gardens, taller in habitat\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2 to 3m\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to light shade, with best colour in full sun\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative to:\u003c\/strong\u003e Coastal New South Wales\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower Colour:\u003c\/strong\u003e White flowers followed by pink to deep red sepals\n\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Direct","offers":[{"title":"500mm","offer_id":59795361071390,"sku":"ND-0397-500MM","price":1125.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/2536\/8862\/files\/tqaM863ibtOMsfARA_3Mf_RWy0ICfg.jpg?v=1787314248","url":"https:\/\/nurserydirect.com.au\/products\/ceratopetalum-gummiferum","provider":"Nursery Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}