Correa
( KOR - ree - uh )
At-A-Glance InformationCorrea is a genus of understory shrubs native to Australia, and although it resembles Fuchsia in flower shape (and is commonly called Australian Fuchsia for this reason) it differs from Fuchsia in many ways. Dark green leaves are densely felted underneath, and small flowers hang from branches like bells. This is not a showy genus of shrub, but is handsome when admired from a close-up perspective.
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Correa Species and Varietals
The genus Correa includes 11 species and is a member of the family Rutaceae. It was first formally described by Henry Cranke Andrews in 1798 in The Botanist's Repository for New, and Rare Plants. The genus was named after Portuguese botanist Jose Correia de Serra (Abbe Correa). Australian Fuchsia grows best in zones 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Correa pulchella
This species of Correa gets to 2.5 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Leaves are green on top, grey-green underneath. Flower color ranges from light pink to reddish-orange. This is the most popular species of Correa grown in Northern California.
This species of Correa gets to 2.5 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Leaves are green on top, grey-green underneath. Flower color ranges from light pink to reddish-orange. This is the most popular species of Correa grown in Northern California.
Correa reflexa This species takes many forms, ranging from 1 to 9 feet tall and 3 to 9 feet wide. Flowers are tubular and vary in color depending on the variety. Varieties include 'Cape Carpet' (1 foot tall, 8-10 feet wide; flowers are bright red with chartreuse tips), 'Carpenter Rocks' (3-4 feet tall and wide' pictured), 'Yanakie' (4 feet tall and wide, with large red flowers tipped in cream or green). |
Caring for and pruning Correa shrubs
Plant Correa shrubs in partial to full shade (they do great in understorey locations), either in ground or in a container. They enjoy regular water, and are considered easy-care plantings. Give these shrubs a twice yearly feedings in fall and spring with a low-phosphorus, slow-release fertilizer. They are happiest in loamy soil with a pH of 5.6, and need good drainage to perform well. After the main flowering period has passed, before new growth occurs in spring, prune these shrubs to remove dead or damaged branches, and trim as necessary to remove spent flower heads to encourage reblooms.
Propagation
Correa can be propagated by using cuttings. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Correa by Cutting
Propagating Correa by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Ensure that you make your top cut right above a node, and your bottom cut just below the next node down. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Problems and Pests
Gallery
Videos
All about Correa reflexa.
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An informational video about Correa pulchella.
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How to Propagate Correa shrubs
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 264, Correa
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