 Now here’s a plant you may not see that often. It’s called the Musk Bush or Iboza and it makes quite a show in winter covered in pale pink or lilac flowers that are strongly perfumed. Even the leaves, when you crush them are quite aromatic.
It belongs to the same family as mint and it comes from tropical Africa. In fact, the name Iboza is derived from the Zulu word, which refers to the scented leaves. The Zulu people treasured the plant for it’s many medicinal purposes.
In the garden, it’s a very fast grower gaining up to a metre a year so it’s ideal for filling a space or giving you a quick screen.
The musk bush is happy in full sun or part shade. It doesn’t like frost, so give it some protection if you live in a cold area. Hard pruning – right back to old wood - is important to keep it in shape and the time to do that is straight after flowering.
So what about these flowers? Well, the brilliance of the display depends on whether you have a male or female plant! Male plants give you the best show. You can tell the male flowers by taking a closer look to see the many stamens in each bloom.
If you find a male, ask the owner for a few cuttings. It’s very easy to propagate in a bit of potting mix. Or look out for it at your local nursery around June/July.
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