Chef's Cap Correa 140MM

I am a small, evergreen native shrub with one of the most distinctive and unusual flowers of any Correa species. My tubular, greenish-yellow flowers are uniquely shaped: the petals flare out at the base to form a wide, flat rim before tapering into a narrow tube - a silhouette that has earned me the charming name of Chef's Hat. I flower from autumn through winter, providing vital nectar for honeyeaters and other birds during the cooler months when little else is in bloom. My dark green, oval leaves have a leathery texture and a slightly paler underside, and my reddish-brown stems add further interest to my year-round appearance. I am an excellent choice for informal hedges, windbreaks, understorey plantings and low screens. I am naturally an understorey plant and prefer shelter from hot afternoon sun. I will tolerate short periods of dryness once established but appreciate a good layer of mulch to keep my roots cool and moist. I am moderately frost hardy and perform well in cool to temperate Australian gardens. Prune me lightly after flowering to maintain a compact, tidy habit and encourage dense new growth. I am ideal for group plantings under trees, as a low windbreak, an informal hedge or screen, and in wildlife gardens where my winter flowers are especially valued by nectar-feeding birds.