About Verticordia chrysantha Endl.
Verticordia chrysantha Endl. is a shrub that grows 0.15 to 1.5 metres (0.5 to 5 feet) tall, and is sometimes almost equally as wide. It has a single branching stem at its base. Its leaves are linear in shape, roughly circular in cross-section, 3 to 15 millimetres (0.1 to 0.6 inches) long, and end in a pointed tip that is sometimes hooked. The flowers are usually scented, arranged in corymb-like clusters at the ends of branches. They are bright yellow when new, and age to bronze or brown, sometimes only changing colour in their centre. The flowers are held upright on stalks 4 to 18 millimetres (0.2 to 0.7 inches) long. The floral cup is shaped like a half-sphere, about 1.5 millimetres (0.06 inches) long, with 10 ribs, a smooth hairless surface, and a slightly bumpy texture. The sepals are bright yellow, 4.0 to 4.5 millimetres (0.16 to 0.18 inches) long, with 7 or 10 densely feathery lobes. The petals are also bright yellow, egg-shaped, 3.5 to 5.0 millimetres (0.14 to 0.20 inches) long, and have long, spreading finger-like lobes. The style is 3.5 to 4 millimetres (0.14 to 0.16 inches) long, and is straight or slightly curved. This species flowers from September to December. Verticordia chrysantha grows across a wide range of soil types and vegetation communities, occurring between Kalbarri in the north-west and Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia, but is not found in the far south-west corner of the state. This species is well established in horticulture, though it is generally slow growing, and plants typically need to be replaced after 5 years. In gardens, it grows best in well-drained soil in full sun, and is known to be drought tolerant. It produces an attractive display when planted in large mass groupings. Burying its seeds in soil for twelve months, then treating them with aerosol smoke, has been shown to improve the germination rate of Verticordia chrysantha seeds.
