Pink Mulla Mulla

Appearance

This robust perennial or ephemeral herb is one of the largest erect herbs of the Mulla Mullas and grows to heights of around 1.2 metres, although the average height of a single specimen is 60–80 centimetres. The leaf coverage on the plant is leathery light green to blue green with occasionally reddish tones and covers the entire stem until the emergence of the flower at the top of the stem. It is initially structured in rosette form, that is, a modified stem in which the internode gaps between the leaves do not expand. From April to November, "Ptilotus exaltatus" flowers and large, conical heads up to 10 centimetres in size adorn the top of the plant. The flowers are generally a purple-pink colour with thin, pointed petals surrounded by white fluffy hairs.

Naming

The species was first observed and described in 1810, and comprehensively catalogued in 1971.

Distribution

The genus "Ptilotus", compromising around 100 species is almost completely confined to Australia, with a one species extending to Timor and certain surrounding islands. "Ptilotus exaltatus" itself is endemic to much of mainland Australia and grows abundantly throughout the entirety of the country, favouring arid and semi-arid climates for ideal growth. Large parts of Australia in which the plant grows experience frosts during winter months, which Ptilotus can withstand by going dormant for short periods of time. Conversely, they are extremely heat and drought tolerant although their lifespan is relatively short – they exist healthily for only a few years. Given the nature of weather patterns in arid Australia – often involving long dry patches followed by brief downpours of rain, "Ptilotus exaltatus" most often grows immediately after precipitation. Large numbers of the species have been observed to sprout after rainfall in desert areas, and the species is adept at surviving with lower water requirements after initial sprouting.

Habitat

The genus "Ptilotus", compromising around 100 species is almost completely confined to Australia, with a one species extending to Timor and certain surrounding islands. "Ptilotus exaltatus" itself is endemic to much of mainland Australia and grows abundantly throughout the entirety of the country, favouring arid and semi-arid climates for ideal growth. Large parts of Australia in which the plant grows experience frosts during winter months, which Ptilotus can withstand by going dormant for short periods of time. Conversely, they are extremely heat and drought tolerant although their lifespan is relatively short – they exist healthily for only a few years. Given the nature of weather patterns in arid Australia – often involving long dry patches followed by brief downpours of rain, "Ptilotus exaltatus" most often grows immediately after precipitation. Large numbers of the species have been observed to sprout after rainfall in desert areas, and the species is adept at surviving with lower water requirements after initial sprouting.

Uses

The principal use for the species is as a garden plant. The vibrant colours and strong stems provide a favourable aesthetic and their suitability in most Australian conditions means they are appropriate choices for gardens across the country. There is also interest in "Ptilotus exaltatus" in overseas horticultural industries. Experiments in the growth of Ptilotus exaltatus under Central European Conditions indicate an 85% success rate for germination of cleaned seeds under such conditions. Growth tests throughout the year indicated that while it can grow successfully all year round in Australian arid and semi-arid conditions, under Central European conditions, cultivation only resulted in healthy and suitable flowers from the end of April/beginning of May through to the end of September/beginning of October, as conditions were too cold during winter months in the Northern Hemisphere. The Pink Mulla Mulla attracts bees and butterflies leading to an overall increase in garden health when planted in personal gardens. The plant is increasingly being grown in Western Australia in order to produce flowers for export, due to the increasing demand for Australian native plants worldwide. When experimenting with differing quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and assessing the effect on growth, the largest amount of applied nitrogen gave the maximum dry weight of shoots.