Zieria smithii aka Zieria Smithii

Zieria smithii is a shrub in the rue family, Rutaceae. It keeps its leaves all year. Common names include Australian sandfly bush and Tasmanian stinkwood. It comes from the east and southeast of Australia. Its range takes in eastern Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. Kew places it in the subtropical biome, a warm climate zone. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The shrub grows to about 6 feet [1.8 metres] tall. The account does not say how wide it grows. Nor does it describe the leaves in detail. Its wood is yellow and tough. The leaves yield an essential oil; the reported yield is near 0.4%. The bark yields a yellow dye as well. These uses give it value beyond its role in gardens.

Plants For A Future says it flowers in April. Each flower has both male and female organs. The source gives no flower colour or shape. It gives no details of the fruit, either. April comes from that source, not an Australian account of the seasons. The source lists it as a plant grown for scent. It also places it at a woodland garden's sunny edge.

In the wild, it grows in sandy woods near the coast. It also grows on cleared ground near the coast. Other sites include damp forest valleys and high mountain ravines. Plants For A Future lists sand and loam for garden soil. The soil can be mildly acid, neutral, or mildly alkaline. The same source calls for moist soil and no shade. It is unclear how well the shrub withstands British cold. The source suggests it may suit milder parts of Britain. It also suggests plants from colder parts of its range.

The advice on raising new plants is tentative. It does not draw on reported trials. Plants For A Future suggests sowing in a warm greenhouse in spring. It suggests keeping seedlings under glass for their first winter. Planting out should wait until after the last expected frost. It also proposes cuttings from wood that is almost mature. The source reports no known uses as food or known hazards. This does not mean the plant is safe to eat. It records use to ease headaches. Yet it says concentrated material can cause headaches. Its weed assessment is negative. The supplied evidence gives no details of pests or diseases.