Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Chamelaucium (Waxflower) Propagation?, 1 by 77sunset

77sunset wrote:
Hello, just saw the name and thought I'd pop in as I grow this plant from cuttings. I loved the Geraldton Wax as it is usually called, when I saw it growing in the wild in West Australia. I have 4 plants here about 6' high and 5 years old , all grown from a piece I found in a lot of old flowers that were thrown out.
I use tip cuttings about 4''-5'' long. strip the leaves from the bottom to 3/4 of the way up stem. Scrape a small bit off the side at base to allow a bit more area to form roots.
Dip in honey or rooting hormone and insert in small pot . The mix I usually use for my cuttings is 3 parts propagating sand and 1 part potting mix. I use the sand bought from nursery or hardware store as it is easier to get than river sand. You can use the sand as is without anything added. I add a bit of potting mix to retain a bit more water when its hot here.
Put lots of pieces in as you will lose a lot. They are not an easy plant to get going. I have 2 in a pot that are now 2 years old and are growing well. They are a bit slow at first but once in the ground will reward you with years of flowers and they look after themselves. I never water mine after they are established the first 12 months. You can cut them back for flowers and thay are not invasive. There are a couple of different types. The common Geraldton Wax has a sparser look than the Esperance Wax . There are various shades too. The most common is White, but there are pinks and mauves too. They are a plant from a hot and dry area that gets little rain for most of the year. pic is of 2 of mine taken just now..
Happy planting Jean.