This small shrub has stiff upright woody stems with spiny branchlets that form an open rounded habit. It has small dark green linear leaves and the white to pink tube-shaped flowers appear in clusters, along the stems from autumn to spring.    

Hardiness zones 8 to 11 

Cryptandra amara is naturally found in Australia from Queensland to New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. It appears on the coast and extends to the western slopes growing in heath or dry woodlands in well drained moderately fertile sandy-stony soils. It prefers an open sunny position and is frost and drought tolerant. 

Bitter Cryptandra is grown for its winter flowers and is planted in rockeries or small gardens as a specimen. It is suitable for coastal or inland regions establishing in 2 to 3 years but is not commonly cultivated. It may be used in containers or roof gardens tolerating drier conditions. ID 2456

Cryptandra (krypt-an-dra) amara (a-MAR-a)

Rhamnaceae (ram-NAY-see-ee)
Rhamnales