Appearance

• A woody shrub to small tree, usually with thorny branches.
• Size: 5 – 10 m high.
• Leaves: glabrous, dark green,  20 – 44 mm long and 5 – 9 –mm wide.
• Flowers: White, 6 – 10 mm wide, fragrant
• Fruit/seed: Dark brown, flattened capsules in clusters. Each capsule to 7 mm long and 9 mm wide containing on average 4 seeds. Seeds reddish brown, flat and oval to kidney shaped. 

What to Observe

• First fully open single flower
• Full flowering (record all days)
• End of flowering (when 95% of the flowers have faded)
• Open seed pods containing seeds (record all days)

ClimateWatch Science Advisor

Warmer, wetter summers will extend the flowering period. May increase seed set and could extend the range of the species if pollinators are available.

When To Look

• December to July
• Flowering: December – February in NSW
• Fruiting: June – July in NSW

Where To Look

• Open Eucalypt woodlands from coastal to alpine regions
• NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, ACT

Sweet Bursaria (Blackthorn) distribution map - ANBG

References

Elliot, W. and Jones, D. (1982) Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Volume 2 Lothian Publishing Company Pty Ltd. Australia.

Links

• FloraBank
• PlantNet
• Atlas of Living Australia
• Ecology of Cumberland Plain Woodland Plants