Prostanthera cuneata (Alpine Mint Bush)
Botanical Information
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Genus | Prostanthera |
| Species | cuneata |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Shrub (evergreen) |
| Origin | Native to Australia (Tasmania). The genus name comes from the Greek word, 'prostheke', meaning appendage, and the Latin word, 'anthera', which means anther: this is in reference to the flower's spur-like anthers. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 8b - 9a |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 8a |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H4 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -9 - (-4) |
| Temperature (°F) | 15 - 25 |
| Height | 0.5 - 1 m |
| Spread | 0.5 - 1 m |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | June, July, August |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | Prostanthera cuneata is a small, dense evergreen shrub with tiny, mint-scented, glossy green leaves and white cup-shaped flowers whose centres are purple-spotted. It is the only species of its genus tolerant of cooler temperatures. |
| Cultivation | Grow in a sheltered location, in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Intolerant of hard pruning. Can be grown under glass in a loam-based compost. |
| Pests | Glasshouse red spider mite may be a problem. |
| Notable Specimens | RHS Garden Rosemoor, North Devon, England. |
| Leaf Description | Up to 6 mm, ovate to orbicular with a wedge-shaped base, margins curved, bright shiny green, arranged oppositely in rosettes about the stem. Leaves of Prostanthera yield a strong, sweet minty scent when crushed. |
| Flower Description | Numerous, cup-shaped, up to 12 mm in diameter, petals are white with tiny dark purple spots in the throat, arranged in terminal clusters. |
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