About Darwinia citriodora (Endl.) Benth.
Darwinia citriodora is a compact shrub that reaches 1 to 1.5 metres (3 to 5 ft) in both height and width. Its leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along the stems, measure 6 to 12 millimetres (0.2 to 0.5 in) long, and are lance-shaped to oval with a blunt tip and rolled-under edges. The leaves are typically a rich deep green, but often turn purplish during the winter season. Visible oil glands are present on the lower surface of the leaves, and the leaves give off a pleasant lemon scent when crushed. Flowers grow in groups of four near the ends of branches, and each group is surrounded by reddish-green, leaf-like bracts. Individual flowers are small, yellow, and tube-shaped, with petals that enclose the stamens. The style is around 10 millimetres (0.4 in) long, ranges in colour from red to yellow, extends out past the flower, and has a brush-like tip that curves toward the centre of the flower group. Flowering takes place between May and December. Lemon-scented darwinia grows in near-coastal areas between the Swan River and Cape Riche, within the Esperance Plain, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, and Warren biogeographic regions, where it grows in lateritic or granitic soils. This species has been sold in nurseries for many years, and a cultivar with larger than typical flowers has been developed. It can be easily propagated from cuttings, which are best collected at the end of summer or early autumn. It is valued as a rootstock for other plant species, especially those from the genera Verticordia, Chamelaucium, and Actinodium, as well as for other species in the Darwinia genus.
