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A large shrub to about 3 metres tall, spreading to several metres wide.
Young stems and leaf petioles have silvery to rusty hairs as well as a second coating of white stellate (star-shaped) hairs.
It reportedly only occurs at one general location, above Carrington Falls in the southern highlands of NSW, near Robertson (the upper catchment of the Kangaroo River). Two sub-populations are known. One population occurs in Budderoo National Park where a very low number of plants were recorded. The second population occurs on private land further upstream along Kangaroo River, comprising about 30 individual plants at one point in time.
It is listed as critically endangered at NSW and Commonwealth level.
It occurs along streams in riparian shrubland on Hawkesbury Sandstone as well as richer loams in open tall moist sclerophyll forest.
Pomaderris spp. have simple and alternate leaves. In this species, leaves are narrow-ovate to 60 mm long and 25 mm wide with entire margins and acute apices, upper surface green and glabrous and lower surface white with a mixture of loose, longer white hairs and shorter dense stellate hairs.
Pomaderris produce 5-merous bisexual flowers with 5 sepals, petals and stamens and 1 carpel; often with flower petals falling off early or not produced at all; with flowers first clustered in small cymes which are then grouped into terminal panicles or corymbs or heads/clusters.
In this species, flowers are cream to yellow, arranged in pyramidal to hemispherical terminal panicles of up to 100, up to 8 cm long and wide; each flower about 4 mm wide with petals present; occurring from July to November.
The fruit of Pomaderris is a capsule. In this species, they have not been observed.
There is no information available regarding the cultivation of this species and it is likely not available to be cultivated. It has a critically endangered listing. It may be available in the future under legal conditions. However, images online show that is can be cultivated successfully and makes a very nice plant (see references below). It likely prefers a well-drained soil with adequate moisture and reliable drainage.
Pomaderris, generally, are nor widely cultivated although they have much to offer the native garden as most have attractive foliage and colourful flowers that would make it an asset in any garden. Availability is one problem due mainly to difficulties in propagation. However, some native nurseries frequently have them for sale. At this point in time, several gardeners on Gardening Australia have showcased species of this genus growing successfully and beautifully in their gardens.
In the garden they require moist, well drained soils in a sunny or lightly shaded position.
They can suffer from wet feet and general dieback.
They should be grown more often. Shrubs in this genus make a great substitute for exotics such as *Cotoneaster, some *Prunus sp. and other similar exotics.
Propagation can be carried out from seed which germinates well following treatment with boiling water. Seed is shed from the plant when ripe and is difficult to collect.
Cuttings of hardened, current seasons growth can be successful but they are usually very slow to strike and the success rate is usually well below 100%
Pomaderris spp. readily regenerate after fire – through the seedbank. Large numbers of seedlings and saplings, of some species, can be seen in some forest and woodland areas after fire. The fire response of this particular species is unknown.
Pomaderris is a genus of about 70 to 80 species, found in Australia and New Zealand only. Australia has about 65 native species with 61 species endemic; found in all states except Northern Territory. NSW currently has about 47 species – some of which are species complex.
Pomaderris – from the Ancient Greek poma (πῶμα) meaning a “covering” or “lid” and derris δέρρις (pronounced therris) meaning “leather”, referring to membranous valves which sometimes cover the capsules.
walshii – named in recognition of botanist Neville Walsh (b. 1956) of the National Herbarium of Victoria for his work in the revision of Pomaderris.
This species is listed as critically endangered at the State and Commonwealth level.
NSW Flora Online (PlantNET) Pomaderris profile/identification key page: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Pomaderris
NSW Office of Environment and Heritage – Threatened Species Profiles – Pomaderris walshii profile page:https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/savingourspeciesapp/project.aspx?ProfileID=20054
Atlas of Living Australia – Pomaderris walshii profile page https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2909534#overview