November 5, 2014

Featured Plant: Agathosma ciliaris

Agathosma ciliaris - close up of flowers Agathosma ciliaris growing in my garden in Cape Town, South Africa

Agathosma ciliaris is known as the Bergboegoe in Afrikaans, but does not have a widely used common name in English. Translated, the name means "Mountain Buchu".

This small evergreen shrub has tiny fragrant leaves. It grows about 60cm tall and up to 1 meter wide. The white flowers appear during Winter (July / August).

Agathosma ciliaris is native to the Western Cape province of South Africa. It grows well in full sun or semi-shade, but requires a thick mulch to keep the roots cool and prevent it drying out during Summer. (A 5cm thick layer of straw or some other organic material works well.) It needs regular watering while small, but copes with dry summers once established. Avoid the use of chemical fertilizers - only apply organic liquid fertilizers if necessary.

Agathosma ciliaris can be propagated by cuttings. The cuttings should be taken during Autumn and kept moist and in shade until they have formed roots. Cuttings of Agathosma ciliaris are normally large enough for planting out in the garden after about 2 years.