Kingdom Plantae Family Asteraceae Genus Olearia Rank Species | Order Asterales Tribe Astereae Scientific name Olearia viscidula | |
Similar Olearia canescens, Olearia elliptica, Olearia covenyi, Olearia astroloba, Olearia tomentosa | ||
Olearia viscidula, commonly known as the sticky daisy bush or wallaby weed, is a shrub or subshrub species in the family Asteraceae native to eastern Australia.
It was first described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1858, having been collected by Charles Moore near Goulburn, before being reclassified by George Bentham in his Flora Australiensis in 1867, gaining the name Olearia viscidula. The species name is Latin "slightly sticky".
The plant is a woody shrub reaching 1.5–3.5 m (4.9–11.5 ft) high and 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) across. The oval leaves are alternately arranged along the stems and are up to 1.5–8.8 cm (0.59–3.46 in) long and 0.2–1.1 cm (0.079–0.433 in) wide with entire margins. The upper leaf surfaces are shiny green, while the leaf undersides are coverd with pale grey fur. The stems and new growth are sometimes covered in resin. Flowering takes place from July to November, and can be profuse. The disc is cream or yellow and rays are white, the daisy-like flower heads 0.8 to 1.7 cm (0.31 to 0.67 in) in diameter.
Olearia viscidula occurs in eastern New South Wales, where it is found south of the Nandewar Ranges, and Victoria. It grows in tall eucalypt forest and rainforest as well as dry sclerophyll forest and woodland, on medium- or high-nutrient soils. It resprouts from a lignotuber after bushfire.
Seldom seen in cultivation, Olearia viscidula grows in soil with good drainage in a part-shaded location. Regular pruning prevents the plant from becoming leggy. The species is frost-hardy. It can be propagated by seed or cutting.