Boronia are a much loved Australian native plant prized by many for their wonderful sweet scent, although interestingly a large group of people can not smell Boronia at all.
Along with the reputation of outstanding fragrance comes the reputation of being tricky to grow. Many people simply enjoy Boronia as annuals or as they would cut flowers.
Commonly found in cultivation is Boronia megastigma (Brown Boronia) – commercially grown for its perfume, an excellent container plant, available in different colour forms including the yellow B. megastigma ‘Lutea‘.
‘Purple Jared’ is a purposely bred hybrid between B. megastigma and B. heterophylla resulting in a beautifully perfumed purple flower. Well worth growing.

In nature most Boronia grow in thick vegetation providing them with shade and thick leaf litter providing a consistent soil temperature.
Boronia require sandy soil with good drainage and heavy leaf mulch. Not at all like our clay soil here in Nillumbik. If you are planning on planting Boronia into the garden you will need to do some serious soil preparation and don’t forget mulch.

Possibly the best chance for success in our local area is to try growing Boronia in pots.
A medium size pot (around 30 cm) will be ideal.
Wait until after flowering has finished before re-potting, using a native potting mix and native fertilizer. Lightly prune removing all spent flowers.
Location is important with Boronia, they like dappled light with protection from winds and hot summer sun.
Watering is a fine balance, Boronia won’t recover from drying out but are also susceptible to root rot. Go easy on watering during cooler months, water a bit more during flowering and water regularly during warm weather.

Good luck and enjoy this sweet smelling Australian native.