Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority

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Common name: Qualup Bell

Family: THYMELAEACEAE (50 Genera)

Origin of Scientific Name

Pimelea – Greek pimele - fat, referring to the oily seeds or possibly the fleshy cotyledons.

physodes – Greek physa - bellows, stream of fire, and odes – like; referring to the bracts enclosing the flower-head which are often red and yellow.

Description

Pimelea physodes is a small, erect shrub 0.2 - 1.5 m in size with woody branches with branchlets that are often reddish near the flowers. Small yellow, green and red flowers occur at the end of the branchlets from July to October and are mostly concealed by the prominent leafy bracts which are cream to green and pinkish purple. The bracts form a large, bell-shaped pendent flower head and it is this striking feature that makes Pimelea physodes very popular as a cut flower.

The Qualup Bell grows in sandy or gravelly locations, often in rocky sites, restricted to the southern coast of Western Australia, between Albany and Esperance, primarily within the Fitzgerald River National Park.

Horticultural tips

Difficult to maintain in cultivation when not grafted, and will probably do better as a container plant.
For best quality flowers, full sun position is preferred.
Responds well to pruning, without which they can get quite leggy.

For more horticultural tips view our Plant Notes section.