Plant Profile: Correa glabra var. turnbullii
Correa glabra var. turnbullii
Family: Rutaceae
Botanical name: Correa glabra var. turnbullii
Common name: Rock Correa ‘Red’
Natural distribution: South Australia, Victoria
Other forms: Correa glabra var. glabra (green flowered form), Correa glabra var. leucoclada (yellow flowers)
Correa glabra is a very useful mid sized shrub with glossy dark green foliage and tubular bells all through Autumn and Winter, through to early Spring.
A rounded shrub that grows to ~1.5m x 1.5m, rock correa’s look best with regular tip pruning to maintain density and attractive shaping.
The species naturally occurs through stony woodland and scrub across the Mount Lofty and Flinders Ranges in South Australia and North Western Victoria. It will grow in sun to part/dappled shade, tolerates frost and is drought hardy once established. It will also grow in a range of soils from sandy to clay, so long as the soil is not waterlogged.
Correa glabra var. turnbullii
Correas are a great choice for challenging understory plantings, such as beneath established trees. They provide a sprinkle of colour through the cooler months and their rounded forms contrast nicely with strappy leaved grasses and spreading groundcovers.
Correas are also excellent habitat plants for small birds. They are beloved by honeyeaters and spinebills who are drawn to their bright bell shaped flowers, and their dense foliage provides excellent shelter for small bird species.
If you are looking to track some down for your garden, they are most often sold as Correa glabra ‘Red’, ‘Green’ or ‘Yellow’.
