Welcome to the Plant of the Month for Novermber! This month I’ll be featuring one of the most popular Australian Native plants there is, the Boronia. The first variety that I am going to feature is called Boronia megastigma.

Genus: Boronia
Species: megastigma
Common Name: Brown Boronia
Flower Colour: Yellow and Brown
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 1m
Flowering: Spring

The Boronia megastigma is quite a unique plant in the Australian native business. The normal variety of megastigma has wonderful flowers that are a deep brown on the outside and a beautiful bright yellow on the inside. The megastigma does have a few sub-species with various difference in their flower colour. The Boronia megatisgma Harlequin has flowers with only a browny red tinge on an otherwise yellow flower, the Boronia megastigma Chandleri is red deep red on the outside and yellow on the inside and the Boronia megastigma Lutea is entirely yellow.

Boronia’s are commonly used in the cut flower trade and so are quite highly sought after. They are also very aromatic, which means they have a wonderful perfume. Another use for the megastigma is as a source for essential oils to make perfumes and other things which smell like Boronia.

The megastigma is a relatively small growing variety, growing into a bush of about 1m x 1m. Boronia’s can be a fickle plant, including the megastigma and really are only suited to temperate or cool climates, with an emphasis towards the cooler climate. Grow it in a well draining soil in a sunny to part shade location.