B is for BORONIA species of Western Australia

Boronia megastigma, or brown boronia is a member of the Rutaceae family and is a small shrub native to southwestern Western Australia occurring from Perth to Albany.

It grows to less than a metre tall and has small leaves and cup-shaped flowers, which bloom in spring.
The plant is quite striking in that the flowers are bright yellow inside whilst the exterior is an interesting red-brown colour.  The flowers have a wonderful fragrance and are used in the production of essential oils.

Like many boronias, this species can be quite difficult to grow from seed.  The seeds exhibit dormancy and are covered in a thick coating which prevents germination in all but ideal conditions in the wild However, the plant is quite successfully grown from cuttings at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra.

People tend to be disappointed when growing this plant as it is a naturally fast growing but short-lived plant in the wild.  This can be mediated by regular but not harsh pruning after flowering in spring. Many gardeners attest that the fragrance of the flower definitely make it a worthwhile species to grow.

(I remember mum telling me that before I arrived on the scene she and dad used to ride their horses through patches of boronia in the bush on their farm and it was so high and prolific, they could actually pick it without dismounting.  They would then pack it up, take it to the siding and put it on the train to Perth where it would be sold either by street vendors or in florist shops.  It was a way of adding to their income).

Boronia crenulata can grow to a height of 1.2 metres (4ft) and has pink-purple-red flowers.  It grows in most soil types in the southwest of Western Australia.  I couldn't find out much more about this species of boronia except where it grows (see map) and some lovely photos of it.

Boronia spathulata is another member of the Rutaceae family and grows in a variety of habitats from east of Esperance  and spreads westwards as far as Perth.  It is particularly common in low-lying areas around the coast and inland as far as the mallee region, growing in deep or shallow sand, sometimes over gravel or limestone.

Growth habit is variable, from a few lanky stems to quite compact bushy shrubs.  Age may be a factor in the development of stems, as these reasonably long-lived plants readily resprout from the base if it dies back during a hot summer or is otherwise endangered.  It has been recorded growing to a metre (3ft) but locally it is mostly less than half that height.

Flowers grow to 2cm (3/4") diameter and mostly in shades of pink (some very deep) although occasionally white.  Being large and bright they stand out in their preferred sparsely vegetated habitat. like roadsides, after fires or disturbed areas.  The fleshy flowers will bloom for several weeks and plants can be in flower for most of the year providing sufficient warmth and moisture is available.

Thanks again to Wikipedia and others for this information and some love 'free' pictures as well.

Until I can think of something perhaps a tad more interesting to write about I will continue with the flowers of Western Australia just to keep the pot boiling.  Also, I will perhaps learn about some of species that I know little about.