Geraldton Wax

Geraldton Wax is an easy-to-grow, large shrub with pink, purple or white flowers.

For information on staying waterwise, seeking a watering exemption while establishing your garden, offers, rebates and more, please visit the Water Corporation website.

Noongar Name: Unknown

Scientific Name: Chamelaucium uncinatum

Other Names: Wembley Wax (local variant)

Performance: Easy to grow

Size: Large shrub with a maximum height 3m

Flower: Pink, purple or white

Flowering Time: Djilba-Kambarang (Aug-Nov)

Natural Distribution: Grows locally in the Perth region

: Chamelaucium uncinatum (CC BY-NC 4.0) lorrainecphelan

: Chamelaucium uncinatum (CC BY-NC 4.0) Paul Tavares

: Chamelaucium uncinatum 1 – Friends of Queens Park

: Chamelaucium uncinatum 2 Friends of Queens Park

Growing at a Glance

See Growing Guide for more detail

Position: Suitable for a sunny position.

Watering: A waterwise, drought-hardy plant.

Feeding: Fertiliser not required.

Pruning: Tip pruning a couple of times a year.

Waterwise Listing

Growing Guide

Ideal Position

Geraldton Wax is versatile, enjoying a range of positions. Suitable for denser plantings and will perform well in full sun or light shade.

Geraldton Wax is ideally placed at the back of your garden bed.

When to Plant and Watering

Plant young seedlings in Djeran (mid-Autumn) prior to the Makuru rains (Winter). Avoid planting in the hottest times of the year.

Seedlings should be watered twice a week over their first summer in the garden. It is important to ensure water penetrates down into the root-zone.

We recommend using a soil wetting agent as Perth soils are often ‘water repellent’, or do not absorb water effectively.

A layer of composted, coarse mulch can help in getting your garden started. It will help by reducing water loss and suppressing the growth of weeds.

Geraldton Wax are waterwise, drought-hardy plants and do not require supplementary water once established.

Geraldton Wax should be grouped with other waterwise, drought-hardy plants.

Feeding and Soil Care

Geraldton Wax don’t need fertiliser because they are adapted to grow in our local soils, which are typically low in nutrients.

Plants will benefit from adding some vegetable-based compost (avoid those with manure) into the soil at planting.

As your garden develops, practice ‘cut and drop’ when you prune your plants. The leaf and branch material that falls to the ground slowly breaks down over time, releasing nutrients to help your garden to grow.

How to Prune

Geraldton Wax can be maintained to their desired shape with regular tip-pruning.

Pluck the top couple of centimetres of the plant’s growing tips by hand once or twice a year.

If necessary use pruning shears, but avoid cutting down to the hard woody stems.