Lomatia silaifolia

Lomatia silaifolia, the curly bush, is a peculiar and ornamental shrub. Firstly, for its strongly pinnate foliage resembling that of a fern or giant parsley, and then for its generous creamy-white summer flowers. Native to eastern Australia, will appreciate a mild winter as well as hot and relatively rainy summers. Capable of withstanding short frosts from -6 to -8°C (21.2 to 17.6 °F), it is easier to cultivate than its relative the protea and will be happy in a well-drained soil, which is slightly moist and acidic to neutral. This exotic shrub deserves to be showcased in the garden or on a patio.

Lomatia silaifolia, formerly known as Embothrium silaifolia, belongs to the Proteaceae family. This botanical species is present in a large part of eastern Australia, from the eastern Australian Cordillera to the centre of New South Wales. In nature, it is found in sparsely forested areas in the company of, for example, peppermint and eucalyptus, on acidic soils. The parsley-leaved Lomatia is evergreen, it retains its leaves all year round. Its habit is bushy, but erect, and its growth is quite rapid. This beautiful shrub will reach an average height of 1.75m (5 ft 8 in) with a spread of 1.50m  when grown in the ground, a little less if grown in a pot. In July-August, the unique flowers occurs in clusters that are 30 to 45 cm (11.8 to 17.7 in) long at the tips of the stems. These flowers, composed of 4 thin petals, are almost white. The flowers give way to elongated fruits, leathery and dark brown when ripe, containing flat and winged seeds. The young leaves are alternate, 35 to 40 cm (13.8 to 15.7 in) long, divided into leaflets which are then also subdivided into thin leaflets, somewhat like fern fronds. All these leaf segments are glaucous green on the upper side, paler on the underside.

In the garden, Lomatia silaifolia deserves a prime location, at the forefront of a flowering hedge, a a specimen on the edge of the lawn, at the corner of a large bed, as a focal point at the end of a pathway or near the patio, sheltered from the wind. This shrub grows well in pots, which can be placed near the entrance of the house or on the patio. It can be associated with numerous acid-loving plants (Kalmia, Pieris, Rhododendrons and Camellias), or in neutral soil with hydrangeas that appreciate the same sunny conditions. It will prefer a sheltered coastal garden, spared from severe frosts, ideally in a mild oceanic climate with long summers. This plant rarely flowers under English climates.