Sweet Boronia (Boronia megastigma) is one of the most elusive plants I have ever grown. It took more than ten years to find seeds and the correct culture. But now that we have both, this fragrant little plant is a delight.
The branches are graceful with needle-like foliage. And in late winter or early spring, delicate bell-shaped flowers appear dark maroon on the outside and old gold within.
And in the center of each blossom is a maroon stigma about ⅓” inch across. The flowers last for many weeks, with their violet fragrance filling a large room.
How To Grow Boronia
A Flower grower reader in the plant’s native Australia first sent the following instructions for germinating the boronia seed and growing the plants.
First, soak the seed in warm water for four days, then sow in a very acidic mixture of sifted leaf mold, peat moss, and sand.
If the sown seeds are kept at 70° degrees Fahrenheit, germination should occur within a week. When the little plants have several leaves, transfer them to small pots, being careful not to disturb the fine hairy roots. Use the same rich soil mixture in which the seeds were started, adding good garden loam.
Our seeds were sown in June. By fall, the plants were ready for 4″ inch pots. Unfortunately, they were always in part shade, and the second summer was sunk in the ground in the filtered sunlight of pine trees.
A similar part shade is desirable. Boronia plants should be kept well pinched the first year. Grow them on the dry side in summer and fall, but only let the plants become slightly dry after flower buds have formed. Never apply fertilizer of any kind.
44659 by Joy Logee Martin