Kunzea Garden Farm Maintenance Australia Farming | Aplus Farms

Move over lavender. Kunzea, a native shrub from eastern Australia farming, is being grown for its essential oils. It's now farmed, harvested and distilled like lavender for its oil, which has antibacterial and other therapeutic properties, as well as fragrance.

One of the active ingredients in kunzea is sesquiterpene, which is being researched for its therapeutic value.The highest concentrations of kunzea's essential oils are found in its leaf tips. After several years of trials, kunzea has been planted as a crop at Bridestowe Lavender Estate at Nabowla in north-east Tasmania. 

Robert Raven from Bridestowe says the crop, which is grown in rows for ease of harvest, works well with lavender as it can be harvested in spring ahead of English lavender, which is harvested in mid-summer. An autumn harvest is also possible for kunzea. 

The species grows to around 1-5m high and 1-3m wide. It has small leaves and white flowers in spring. It's easy to prune to maintain a compact, dense habit. A clone with high levels of oils has been selected for planting at Bridestowe.

As well as producing aromatic oil with therapeutic properties, kunzea is a useful screening shrub for gardens and its tiny but nectarrich flowers are highly attractive to beneficial insects. 

 

Growing Kunzea

Kunzea grows well near the coast or inland, is tolerant of light frost and is adaptable to a wide range of soils. Once the plants are established they are also drought tolerant. Autumn is a good time to plant kunzea or to take cuttings to grow your own.

Prune plants in spring after flowering. Also prune in autumn to maintain a compact plant or for a formal hedge. Feed in spring with a low-phosphorus fertiliser for native plants. This plant has few pest or disease problems but is sometimes attacked by webbing caterpillar, which can be pruned off in its web and squashed. 

Planting Tips and Tricks

The highest concentrations of kunzea's essential oils are found in its leaf tips. Kunzea is available at specialist native plant nurseries.

Scientific Kunzea

• Common names: Kunzea, tick bush, white cloud bush 
• Botanical name: Kunzea ambigua 
• Family: Myrtaceae 
• Aspect and soil: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil 
• Best climate: Subtropics, temperate, Mediterranean, cool 
• Habit: Perennial shrub 
• Propagation: Cutting (soft wood and semi-hardwood), seed 
• Difficulty: Easy