No.

86/95

Waxflower for cut flower production

By Digby Growns, Geraldton, and officers of the Floriculture Section, South Perth
Waxflowers (Chamelaucium uncinatum and other
Chamelaucium species and hybrids) have become a
central part of the native cutflower industry in Western
Australia, because of their ease of cultivation and high
productivity. The flowering stems are sought after as
backing fillers for single-stemmed flowers such as roses,
carnations and chrysanthemums. They are also
becoming sought after as a flower in their own right.
Colours range from white through pale pink, dark pink to
purple.

Other species of Chamelaucium are sometimes used as

cutflowers:

Chamelaucium megalopetalum (large waxflower) Flowers white, large, aging to pink, red or purple.
Newer selections may improve the commercial
viability of this species. The flowering season is
September to October.

Chamelaucium ciliatum (Stirling wax) - Flowers white

to pink. Native to a wide range of soil types, including
gravel and clay soils. Periodically popular. The
flowering season is September to November.

Chamelaucium floriferum (Walpole wax) - Flowers

pinkish-white with purple centre. The flowering
season is August to November.

Varieties
Chamelaucium uncinatum is the most widely cultivated
of the waxflowers. Varieties are available to give a
flowering season from June to November in traditional
waxflower growing areas. The precise time of flowering
depends on the variety grown and the season. Day length
and temperature both affect flower initiation and time to
flowering. Growing waxflower further north and further
south to where it is now grown could extend the seasonal
availability of waxflower.

There are many other waxflower varieties available, and

growers should contact Agriculture Western Australia,
exporters, nurserymen and grower associations for
advice on the best selections to grow. Future developments will see a wider range of colours available all
season, and the increased planting of improved, hybrid
varieties.

Table 1. Some commercially available varieties of waxflower

Variety

Flowering time

Purple Pride

early to mid season

CWA Pink

early season

Mullering Brook

mid to late season

Alba

mid season

Lady Stephanie

mid to late season

Eric John

mid season

Jubilee

mid to late season

Grandiflora

mid season

Characteristics
Purple flowers. May include a number of different selections. The most
widely grown wax variety.
Pink flowers. Some other pink selections may go under the same name.
Usually a vigorous, untidy plant. Sells well because it is early flowering.
Small, mauve flowers. More upright and long-stemmed than other selections.
There are several different selections grown under this name.
White flowers. Very vigorous. May include some different selections. Grown
widely. Has problems with leaf yellowing and tip growth. Becoming less
widely grown.
A hybrid between C. uncinatum and C. floriferum with small pink flowers.
Upright in form, with flowers up the stem. Has remained reasonably popular
over time.
A compact hybrid wax with small mauve terminal flowers. It has sold very
well in Japan. Only recently available commercially.
Deep pink flowers. Has problems with extension growth. It has sold very well
in Japan because of the limited availability of this colour at this time of the
year. Only recently available commercially.
Large mid-pink flowers. A vigorous, untidy plant. A more recent release than
some other varieties.

Important Disclaimer
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Food and the State of Western Australia accept no liability
whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.

For more information visit our web site www.agric.wa.gov.au

Soils

The following spacings are typical:

Well-drained soils are essential. Sand or sandy loam

soils with a slightly acid to neutral pH are preferred.

C. uncinatum - 2 m between plants, 3 m between rows

(1667 plants/ha).

Climate

C. ciliatum, C. megalopetalum - 0.8 m between plants,

2 m between rows (6250 plants/ha).

Waxflower tolerates a wide range of conditions. Frosts

from mid winter to spring will affect flower quality and may
render the crop unmarketable. Even if the crop has no
visible damage, repeated frosts may damage the
cambium of the trunk, effectively ringbarking the tree.
Under these circumstances there is a slow decline,
eventually ending in death.
In high rainfall areas Botrytis flower blight may be an
ongoing problem.

Field planting
Waxflower plantlets are usually supplied in small tubes
for planting. These plantlets can quickly become
rootbound if they are left in the tubes for too long rootbinding can occur in a couple of weeks. Once you
have received the plants, do not delay planting.
If plants are rootbound, prune the roots with a pair of
clean, sharp secateurs before planting to ensure the
roots grow vertically. It may then be necessary to prune
the top part of the plant to reduce transpiration until the
root mass has increased.
When your plants arrive, inspect them carefully for any
signs of poor health. If you have any concerns, do not
plant any of them until a pathologist has tested a sample
for possible diseases. Many nurseries now belong to the
Nursery Accreditation Scheme, which ensures that
certain minimum hygiene standards are being followed
and that the risk of jarrah dieback (Phytophthora
cinnamomi) and other soil diseases is minimal.
The best time to plant is autumn, since it allows plants to
establish over winter. If good irrigation facilities are
available, also consider a spring planting.
Many different planting arrangements have been used in
Western Australia, including double rows and closeplanted hedges. Ensure that plants are in straight lines this makes harvesting and spraying easier.

Irrigation
Waxflower needs a significant amount of water for
maximum production. The best place to plant is on a site
where the water is between one and three metres below
the surface. If this is not possible, trickle or microjet
irrigation is needed during the summer months to
maximise production. Several outlets per plant may be
needed.
The limited research suggests that irrigating to at least
75 per cent of evaporation may be necessary. A mature
C. uncinatum can use as much as 20 L per plant per day
in the heat of summer. However, for plants pruned and
cultivated for cut flowers, the amount of water required
will be less than this.
Start irrigating as the soil water level decreases. In early
summer give each plant at least 4 to 6 L of water per day
to maximise production. Increase this rate to at least 8 to
10 L per day by late summer.
Monitor soil moisture levels to help to minimise water and
nutrient wastage, by ensuring water is applied most
efficiently. New instruments for soil moisture monitoring
are being continually developed and evaluations by
Agriculture Western Australia have shown many of them
to be unreliable. See Farmnote 79/94 Soil moisture
sensors for sandy soils (Agdex 560), or for the latest
information on any aspect of irrigation, consult your
adviser.
Levels of total soluble salts less than 270 millisiemens
per metre (about 1500 ppm) are desirable, but there may
be some varieties that will tolerate higher levels than this.

Fertilisers
Waxflower responds well to balanced fertilisers applied
at moderate rates. Do not consider producing waxflower
without fertiliser. Table 2 shows the current minimum
recommended rate of each element.
Apply fertiliser throughout the year. As summer is the
main period of growth, it is important that nutrients are
available to the plant at this time of year. Reduce rates,
especially nitrogen, after budding to minimise ongrowth.
Fertilisers can be applied in solution through the irrigation
system, in solid form, or as a combination of the two
methods. If you are applying solid fertilisers, you should
be aware of how long one application lasts and that if you
apply the fertiliser when conditions are dry, plants cannot
take up the nutrients until it rains.
Nitrogen from some solid fertilisers such as urea can also
be lost to the atmosphere if the rain does not wet the
fertiliser sufficiently. The most efficient way of applying
fertilisers is through the irrigation system on a daily or
weekly basis. This allows plants ready access to the
nutrients at all times of the year.

Figure 1. Waxflower planting in single rows.

Table 2. Recommended fertiliser rates (kg/ha/y) for

waxflower planted at 1667 plants per hectare
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Other macro elements
Calcium
Magnesium
Trace elements

80
10
80
15
5
Fetrilon Combi or Librel BMX
at recommended rate

Insect pests
Insects are not a major problem in waxflower, but flowers
will be rejected if insects are found in shipments on entry
to countries such as Japan and USA with strict
quarantine requirements.
Rutherglen bug, wingless grasshoppers and the ringbarking weevil can cause damage at planting. Farmnote
No. 1/96 Pests of export wildflowers and proteas (Agdex
280/620) gives details on these pests.
The gall wasp, a serious pest in Queensland, has little
impact in Western Australia. The wasp causes tiny galls
on the young leaves (see Figure 2), decreasing the value
of the product and creating quarantine difficulties. Ensure
that cuttings are free of gall wasp.
Waxflower can be attacked by a ringbarking weevil native
to Western Australia, although waxflower is not a
preferred host. The larvae of this weevil, which ringbarks
the stem below the soil surface, severely damages some
Chamelaucium species. In particular, plantations of
C. ciliatum and C. axillare have been heavily attacked by
this pest and an insecticide drench once a year is
recommended.
Leaf tip larvae can damage shoot tips. Spray plants
monthly with a synthetic pyrethroid such as Ambush.
Many insects, including thrips, bugs, beetles and weevils,
live on waxflowers and although they do not cause a
great deal of damage to the crop, they can cause
rejection of shipments through quarantine restrictions.
Field control of insects during the season is essential,
since disinfestation after harvest does not provide a high
enough level of kill.
For thrips and bugs, use Mavrik, for beetles and weevils
use Ambush. Mavrik is not needed if you are using
Ambush. For further information, consult your adviser.

Diseases
Root rots
Species of Pythium and Phytophthora can cause root
rots and eventual death of plants. Pythium is a problem
in winter, or in poorly drained areas.
Phytophthora can be imported on planting material,
shoes, vehicles or animals. Good hygiene practices are
necessary to prevent the importation and spread of this

Figure 2. Gall caused by a small wasp.

disease. It is spread from plant to plant underground by

means of water movement, so that infections tend to
move downhill. Isolate infections if possible, burn the
infected plants and apply preventative treatments of
Fos-Ject (mono di-potassium phosphite) to surrounding
plants.

Botrytis flower blight

Botrytis flower blight is the main above-ground disease.
It can cause significant losses both in the field and during
shipment to export markets. The symptoms are brownish
lesions on the petals and in severe cases, shedding of
the buds and flowers. Post-harvest, it develops on
flowers in export cartons as a hairy mould, mostly on
buds and flowers.
Wet, humid conditions favour the development of
Botrytis. In export cartons, moisture loss from the flowers
provides ideal conditions for the growth of the fungus.
Control must start in the field. Spray plants fortnightly with
a fungicide from the time they bud until the end of
harvest. Rovral is one suitable chemical. During wet
weather, more frequent sprays will be needed. Use
fungicides in rotation to prevent the build-up of resistant
strains of pathogens. Flowers infected with Botrytis may
not be visible at the time of harvest but will cause
problems later.

Pruning
Prune waxflower immediately after harvest, to keep the
bushes to a manageable size and ensure maximum stem
length for the next season. Leave some green shoots on
the plants; 45 cm is an average pruning height. Young
bushes can be shaped after their first flowering, even
though the flowers are not being harvested.

Yields

Further reading

Many factors influence the productivity of Chamelaucium

species, including fertilisers, pests, diseases and
irrigation. Grower experience in Western Australia
suggests that the yields in Table 3 can be expected from
healthy, well-managed bushes.

Farmnote No. 86/88 Preparation of liquid fertiliser

stock solutions (Agdex 545).

Farmnote No. 46/04 Cooling cut flowers and foliage.

Farmnote No. 89/88 Post harvest insect

disinfestation treatments for cut flowers and foliage
(Agdex 280/56).

Table 3. Yields of Chamelaucium species: Number

of 500 g bunches produced*

Farmnote No. 1/96 Pests of export wildflowers and

proteas (Agdex 280/620).

Species

Farmnote No. 98/88 Pests of young trees (Agdex

620).

Farmnote No. 35/92 Wildflower production - getting

started (Agdex 280/10).

Farmnote No. 79/94 Soil moisture sensors for sandy

soils (Agdex 560).

Farmnote No. 108/94 Disinfestation of wildflowers

using insecticide dips (Agdex 280/56).

Year 2

C. uncinatum
Alba
Purple Pride
CWA Pink
Mullering Brook
C. ciliatum
C. floriferum
C. megalopetalum
Lady Stephanie

4
3
4
3
1
1
1
3

Year 3

7
5
6
5
4
3
3
5

Years 4-10

15
12
14
9
5
3
3
18

* Nil production in Year 1.

Note: The number of stems/bunch ranges from 5 to 15, averaging
about 8. The price per bunch will depend on flower quality, stem length
and stem thickness.

Post-harvest handling
Bud and flower drop is often a problem in export
shipments. Cool fresh flowers as soon as possible after
harvest.
Try to pick in the cool of the day when the bushes are
turgid and immediately place the flowers in water in a
shaded place. Many flower farms use a covered trailer.
Where it is likely that flowers have a high incidence of
Botrytis, or are likely to encounter ethylene in transit,
place the flowers in a 4 mM STS pulse for 20 minutes as
soon as possible. Flowers that are already stressed will
not respond to STS - the damage is already done.
Also dip flowers for export in Rovral (1 g/L) and Cislin
(2.5 mL/L). After dipping, air-dry the flowers while they are
standing in water, before packing them - see Farmnote
No. 108/94 Disinfestation of wildflowers using insecticide
dips (Agdex 280/56) and Farmnote No. 89/88 Postharvest insect disinfestation treatments for cut flowers
and foliage (Agdex 280/56) for further details.
Finally, grade the flowers and place them in accurately
labelled boxes for forced air cooling to 2C. Efforts should
be made to maintain this temperature during transport to
export destinations.

ISSN 0726-934X
State of Western Australia, 2007