Callistemon Mary MacKillop

Royalties collected from sales of this plant go to the Trustees of The Sisters of St Joseph and have, for the past 12 years, helped fund and assist education programs and support work with socially disadvantaged people.
Only plants sold with the official Austraflora labels (identified by their uniform oval shape and Austraflora logo) generate royalties for the  Trustees. Non-genuine labels do not attract royalties nor raise much-needed funds. 

SAINTS BE PRAISED

Mary MacKillop, who will be conferred as Australia’s first Saint at the Vatican in October 2010. While long regarded as ’The People’s Saint’, she will now become Saint Mary of the Cross.

She devoted her life to helping countless disadvantaged people and orphaned children. 

Her belief that through education, people could better their lives, and the methods she employed to achieve this, brought her into conflict with Church authority.

Undaunted, she went to Rome in 1873 and had several audiences with Pope Leo the X111, and with his support and blessing, she returned to Australia to continue with her work.

Mary founded the Order of the Sisters of St. Joseph, of which she became the Mother General.

In spite of ill health she and her nuns continued to expand her educational programs.  Her unstinting devotion to this cause possibly played a part in her early death at 67 in 1909.

The Order continues the work of the Sisters of St Joseph in many areas of need.

Callistemon Mary MacKillop

In 1998 the Trustees of the Sisters of St. Joseph approached Austraflora seeking assistance in selecting an Australian plant to honour Mary. Royalties applied through label sales were to be used to continue her work in whatever areas it was thought appropriate.

Bill Molyneux made recommendations to the Trustees from Austraflora’s Callistemon breeding program.  One selection was voted a unanimous favourite, and production commenced immediately.

The Trustees were particularly taken by similarities of the qualities of this plant to those of  Mary : resilient, tough, colourful and with an ability to thrive just about anywhere.

Callistemon Mary MacKillop has proven all these attributes in its time on the market.

It flourishes as a dense weeping shrub 2 –2.5m high and 1.5- 2 m wide, with brilliant green new growth and large cardinal red brushes in spring to summer.  With regular pruning it may also flower  at anytime during the year.

What a way to celebrate Mary’s recognition as a Saint by beautifying your garden and providing  a range of feeding and nesting habitats for a range of small birds. 

Truly a plant for all creatures great and small.