Horny Conebush
Isopogon ceratophyllus
Family: Proteaceae
What it is like
Isopogon ceratophyllus is a SHRUB growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in). It is in flower from March to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.6
Where it is found
Grows mostly in sclerophyll forest, woodland or heathland, in sand or sandy soils.
Australia - Victoria, New South Wales and temperate areas of Southern Australia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 1
Bitter tonic.
Bitter: Increases the appetite and stimulates digestion by acting on the mucous membranes of the mouth. Also increases the flow of bile, stimulates repair of the gut wall lining and regulates the secretion of insulin and glucogen.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Plants tolerate temperatures down to about -7°c in Australian gardens, though this cannot be applied directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers that fail to fully ripen the wood and our longer, wetter winters. Plants may regenerate from a woody lignotuber after fire.
Propagating it: Seed -
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist