Persoonia pinifolia aka Pine Leaf Geebung

Persoonia pinifolia, or pin-leaf geebung, belongs to the Proteaceae family. It comes from eastern New South Wales in Australia. Kew places it in a subtropical climate. It grows in heath and dry sclerophyll forest. These sites have sandy or stony soils. It is an evergreen shrub, though Kew also records a tree form. Plants For A Future gives a height of about 11.5 feet [3.5 metres].

The leaves stay on the plant throughout the year. Plants For A Future lists flowering from July to August. Each flower has both male and female organs. The fruit has sweet, fibrous flesh around one large seed. It is juicy but can leave an astringent feel. People can eat the fruit raw or cooked. The source records its use as food by Aboriginal Australians. It lists no known hazards, but provides no separate pet-safety assessment.

Give this plant a warm site with full sun. It does not grow in shade, according to Plants For A Future. A sunny woodland edge is one suggested garden setting. The soil must drain well, with sand the preferred base. Loam is also suitable where drainage is good. The plant accepts poor soil and needs low nutrient levels. Avoid soils rich in nitrates or phosphates. Slightly acid soil is preferred, around pH 6.3 to 6.5. The source also lists neutral soil as suitable.

It accepts dry or moist soil and tolerates salt spray. This makes coastal exposure possible where the climate suits it. Cold and winter wet limit its use in Britain. Plants For A Future recommends a cool greenhouse in most British gardens. Outdoor growing may work in the mildest areas. Australian garden plants have survived about 19°F [-7°C]. That result does not establish equal hardiness in Britain. British summers are cooler, and winters last longer and stay wetter.

Seed propagation needs care and patience. Scarify ripe seed, then sow it under glass in autumn. Germination may wait until the next autumn. The source reports a germination rate of about 46 percent. Move seedlings into pots within one or two days of emergence. Their brittle roots make this step risky. Keep young plants under glass for their first two winters. Plant out in early summer, then protect against the first winter's cold.