Pittosporaceae

Bursaria spinosa

Common Names: Christmas bush.

Plant Form: Medium to large shrub or small tree. Size: Up to 12 m tall. Highly variable. Stem: Mostly smooth texture with spines. Densely branching. Leaves: Clustered at nodes, alternate higher up. Straight and narrow to slightly elongated oval-shaped. 2-4 cm long. Rounded or slightly notched end. Flowers: Numerous creamy white to yellowish, with green centre and prominent stamens. Fragrant with sweet smell. Fruit and Seeds: Flattened, purse-shaped capsules. Habitat: Native to subtropical and temperate areas of eastern Australia. Found in woodlands, open forests. Can be a weedy coloniser of cleared land. Impacts: Note - this is a native plant.