Upoffmebum

By Upoffmebum

Murraya flowers

No useful-sized fruit to speak of here, yet the Marraya plant is part of the citrus family. The flowers give the game away by their similarity to the small, delicate white flowers of the orange tree, and even more by their sweet orange blossom perfume. The dark green glossy leaves leave you in no doubt.
The citrus connection helps explain some of the Murraya's many common names, such as Mock Orange, Jasmine Orange, Orange Jessamine and Honey Bush.
Native to Asia - centred in the southern China and South-East Asia region  - they thrive in Australia's hot climate. So much so that the original Murraya paniculata, like the Alstroemeria of South American origin (see my 13 February 2021 entry), is now classed as an invasive weed by many local authorities across the states of New South Wales and Queensland.
On the other hand, the Murraya's invasiveness means it makes a great, sweet-smelling hedge or privacy screen. Which is a pretty attractive characteristic for a mere weed. 
Some species have also been used in traditional medicine to treat fever, pain, dysentery, painful inflammatory conditions, and to help induce labor.
These are rather useful properties - albeit untested by me - for an alleged weed to have, as is their impressive hedgability and attractive leaves and flowers. So overall I'm disinclined to pull out my Murrayas, no matter what those local authority bureaucrats say.

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