australianplants1

Australian Native Plants for your garden

Our Australian natives have a fascination and charm that is becoming recognised by plant lovers throughout the world. Many enthusiasts like to devote their gardens to these unique plants of ours, entirely, but others just like to have a few favourites in their gardens.

It has been said by many that an Australian native garden is maintenance-free, ideal for those who are lazy in the garden! Native gardens need basic garden care - fertiliser, pruning, shaping, weeding and seasonal replanting, in some cases. With reduced lawn areas, less time is spent mowing, and leaves can be used for mulch where they drop.

The red and green Kangaroo Paw (Anlgosanthos manglesil) grows in dry gravelly sand areas and is striking.

The Sturts Desert Pea grows in hot stony inland areas, and like gravelly sand, compost and lime. In quick-drying areas of the country, plants need to be started in spring or autumn so that they are well established before the heat of the summer.

Wattles delight us every year with their fragrance and yellow ball like clustered flowers. They are seen as trees in the rainforest, as groundcovers in sand along the beaches and as mulga scrub in the arid centre of Australia. There are over 800 species of Acacia and they form an important component of our bush. They vary from the tiny herb-like version to one that grows 35 metres high.

They flower well in well-drained areas and prefer a sunny spot. They need a light trim after the flowering season and do make effective shelter for slow growing garden plants. As they deteriorate, remove them and replant a new specimen. The national floral emblem of Australia is the "A.pycnantha", the Australian Golden Wattle. This has blue-green foliage.

This variety is Acacia bancroftii with bright yellow globular flowers coming out in winter. This ones likes rocky hillsides and only grows to 5 metres. Likes coastal areas, but more suited to inland rainfall areas.

An unusual wattle is Acacia glaucoptera, ot Flat or Saw-Tooth Wattle, with alternate blue green tooth shaped wings flattened along a midrib to create a double edged saw formation.

New growth is often bronze-red. Flowers are bright yellow balls to almost 1 cm in diameter on short reddish-brown stems from nodes along the midrib during late winter and early spring.
This specie needs moderate drainage and at least half sun in cooler temperate to semi-tropical areas. Grows to about 1.5 metres high and 2 metres wide.

Part of the joy of gardening is picking the flowers clipping out dead branches, topping up mulch and observing plant growth. The character of a native garden is very informal and "natural". Fallen leaves provide mulch of leaf litter which retains moisture and avoids unnecessary watering. Use logs and sleepers to make natural edges around gardens and encourage plants to grow over garden edges to retain a softening look.
Instead of a lawn, plant low-growing ground covers and native grasses.

Calothamnus also known as net bush or one-sided bottle brush because flowers come mainly on one side adapts well to most areas. A spreading shrub with soft appearances created by the closely set pine-like grey-green foliage 3-4 cm long veiling the erect stems, except where punctuated by bright red feathery brushes extending for 8-10 cm. These flowers continue from late spring through summer to winter.
This plant likes gravelly sand but does adapt to most soils in cooler temperate to semi-tropical areas.

Slender bottle brush, Meleleuca namalophylia is from Western Australia adapts to a variety of conditions.

Yellow flowered Dryandra polycephala comes from sandy, gravelly areas. It has many-headed sprays and looks charming. A fairly large and attractive shrubby plant and adapts well. Has deep yellow flowers which remain

The soft pink blooms on the erect open shrub named Kunzea capitala are usually found in damp, sedgy sand or peat areas. It grows 1 to 2 metres high.

colourful for several monthsand are about 4 cm across on short branchlets along erect stems.

Some native plants establish easily, others don't, and it is better to concentrate on those that suit the environment you live in. A great number of lovely Australian native plants will grow easily in the garden, and need little attention once established. Others, modified by nature to survive under austere conditions, seem unable to accept changes of soil or environment. Grow some in your garden to help preserve them from extinction.
Many grevilleas, bottlebrushes, melaleucas are very adaptable. Soil is a consideration so is aspect. For example, some west-coast species are conditioned for winter rainfall and dry summer, so probably wouldnt survive well in the humid east-coast summers.
If you cant observe native plants in natural habitats, see how they do in other gardens, or enquire at a native plant society/nursery.

Grevillea robusta has the common name of "Silky Oak" which has yellow-orange flowers and is a very tall tree. This is wonderful for bringing nectar feeding parrot type birds to the garden. It naturally grows well from Maryborugh in Queensland south to the Grafton area of New South Wales. Germinates easily. Wood is great for cabinet making. Will grow in a wide variety of soils and climates.

Grevillea pteridiifolia has no common name and its flowers vary from yellow to gold. Flowering for this variety is autumn, winter, spring. Its a busy shrub, low spreading prostrate shrub, open and upright. Grows to about 5 to 8 meteres and spread to about 3 to 5 metres. likes sandy coastal areas, and inland sandstone ridges. can be progagated by seed or cuttings. needs good drainage and birds love the nectar.

Grevillia longistyla had flowers in red to orange, about 2-8 cm long and flowers late winter to early summer.
Its an erect spreading shrub about 3 metres high and 3 metres wide. Likes sandstone ridges, sandy or gravelly soil, open forest or woodland.

Grevillea parallela has small white or cream flowers in slender densely flowered cylindrical racemes and flowers in spring. Its a small open tree growing to about 8 metres high and a spread of about 4 metres. Grows naturally in North Queensland, and likes open forests in well-drained areas.

BANKSIAS are the true symbol of the Australian Busy. Named after Sir Joseph Banks, the botanist, who came with Captain James Cook on his discovery on the Endeavour. These woody evergreen plants range from ground hugging varieties to tall broad trees of 25 metres. Their gnarled trunks give character and so do their flower spikes. Cockatoos love the seeds from the torn-apart flower cones.

Banksia attenuata, the Slender Banksia, has lemon/yellow flower spikes. Autumn is best planting time. Each coastal district around Australia is home to a particular variety. The most versatile is the heath banksis, which was the first specimen collected by Banks.

Banksia robur named for the trees supposed resemblance to the wood of the english oak. The common name for this variety is Swamp Banksia. The flowers are a dark blue-green when immature, turning yellow-green when mature and eventually a rusty brown colour. This is a low stout shrub to about 2 metres and enjoys swampy positions of the coast where soil is sandy. Has very large leaves and the plant adapts well to home gardens where it gets good moisture and acid soil. Attracts nectar feeding birds.

Banksia ericifolia is a dense, dome-shaped shrub with branchlets heavily clad in dark-green, slender heath-like leaves about 2 cm long. From mid-autumn into early winter, it has erect cylindrical spikes, to 30 cm long, of tightly packed coppery orange flowers. Will adapt to most climates in Australia, but likes full sun and wind exposure to dapped sunlight.

MELALEUCA nodosa comonly known as Prickly leaf paperbark. (left).
Natural habitat is open forest or heath and sandy country. Coastal gardens are rgeat for this shrubby/bushy tree with creamy yellow flowers.

Melaleuca is said to refer to the black trunk (possibly by fire) and the leaves white in some earlier known species. On the right, this spring flowering variety Melaleuca Miles is frost hardy and flowering is fair but not prolific. Likes an open well-drained position, and flowers are white to mauve, about 4 cm in length.

Leaves are attractive, small, dense and bright green. The natural area for this one is around Miles, in Queensland, hence the name.

WARATAH's are most spectacular native shrubs. They grow in a variety of situations, from deep gullies to open hillsides, but sometimes are hard to going in a home garden.
Try it though, with heaps of leaf mould and good drainage.

The Waratah is a well known Australian wildflower and there are many species. A rare white, from the red flowering species is "Wirrimbirra White" (telopea speciossima) and the colour develops from apple-green buds to a rich cream, not really pure white.

While the basic species of Bottlebrush, Callistemon, remain popular there are many new hybrids to choose from. The flower spikes attract birds to the garden and varieties go from ground cover to tall trees. Flower colours vary from mauve-pink, to red, crimsons, white, lemons, creams. They grow in over-wet soils, but willtolerate dryness. Prune to keep compact. There are many dwarf varieties available so check out plant nurseries.

Callistemon subulates is a small compact free flowering shrub with dense blue-green linear leaves to 4 cm long and during summer carries silky deep ruby red brushes of flowers 6-8 cm long.

Callistemon citrinus (Crimson Bottle Brush) on right, is a stiff shrub with lance shaped leaves and has deep crimson flowers mainly during mid-spring to a little later. Likes cool to semi-tropical areas and flowers are more prolific if grown in half sun.

Captain Cook is a dwarf and free flowering bottle brush with red foliage. It flowers for a long time mainly in dspring and autumn. This variety adapts to most soils but is better with good composted soil. Grows from cuttings.
Likes full sun and is better in cooler temperate to semi tropical areas.

Callistemon "Reeves Pink" has long clear pink brushes in late spring in cool districts during early summer. A dense erect shrub with lance-shaped leaves.

Callistemon pallidus is also a dense shrub with slender pale to greyish green foliage and silky cream to yellow brushes. Likes cool to semi-tropical areas and full sun.

Many Australian home gardens have "Schefflera actinophylla" commonly called the UMBRELLA TREE. This flowers in summer-autumn and has red flowers in small heads about 2 cm in diameter all along the raceme which may be 1 metre long. Groups look like a wheel spoke or umbrella frame.
The tree grows to about 10 metres and prefers rainforest areas although will grow in lowland swamps and exposed rocky ranges.
Very suitable for a garden plant in humid coastal areas, and attracts nectar and fruit feeding birds.

Does have rigorous root growth tough, so should not be planted near drainage pipes. Germinates from seeds and can be pruned heavily to almost ground level.

NATIVE DAISIES are nice to grow amongst your tree and shrub plantings. (left) is Helipterum incanum var.alpinum known as The Alpine Sunray. A lovely everlasting. (right) is Oleria subrepanda, Starry Daisy Bush.

This lovely purple flower is called a Fringed Violet, Thysanotus tuberosus, and can be grown like ground cover near established shrubs/trees.

There are many lovely bush orchids to use in your australian native plantings - most like 2/3rd shade in a temperate climate with frost protection. Here we have "Dendrobium bigibbum" commonly known as the Cooktown Orchid. It has purple flowerswhich come out in autumn and grows naturally along creek banks. Needs to be planted in a suitable pot or tree in sheltered position. Like protection from frost.

EURYCLES amboinensis is commonly known as the Cardwell Lily and has white flowers with a yellow throat and dies back to an underground bulb each winter. Suited to gardens in tropical or sub-tropical areas. Is a bit difficult to flower in cooler climates and is more suited to being a container plant in a greenhouse. Needs lots of water in growing season.

GUMTREES or EUCALYPTS have characteristic scented leaves, and oil has been used to treat colds and flu since colonial times. When selecting your gum tree, consider its ultimate size and plant it well away from your house. Look to what species grow in your area - there are so many to choose from. They are adaptable plants and will grow in vastly different areas from where they grow naturally. Gumleaves underfoot give a garden the smell of the bush!.

EUCALYPTUS miniata commonly called Darwin Woollybutt, or Melaceuca Gum. this has orange flowers with stamens the prominent feature. They come in a group of 3 to 7 flowers. This tree attracts nectar feeding birds and insects and is suited to open soils which are well drained and

allow easy root penetration. It is frost tender and flowers from about age 3 years. The bark is scaly or papery and soft, grey or rusty red in colour.

EUCALYPTUS ptychocarpa or Spring bloodwood or Swamp Bloodwood has red, pink or white flowers, with the showy part being the long stamens. Flowers in summer to autumn with occasional flowers through the year. Usual habitat is open forests along watercourses. Grows to about 18metres and spreads to about 5 metres.
Has large leaves and is a spectacular tree which attracts nectar-feeding birds, and very reliable in

northern Australian climates and in coastal eastern Australia to about mid New South Wales. Is frost tender and flowers usually commence at about age 3 to 4 years.

Eucalyptus harmastoma is known as the SCRIBBLY GUM - a small tree with 2 or 3 outward leaning trunks. Has smooth whitish bark and scribble like markings made by tunnelling insect larvae below the previous seasons bark. A useful tree to provide lightly broken or dabbled sunlight to other species in the garden. Likes light sandy to gravelly soils in the cooler areas of Australia.

RED FLOWERING GUM or Eucalyptus ficifolia is a popular ornamental eucalyptus to have in the garden. Grows 5 to 9 metres high with a spread in the top of about 4 to 7 metres. Has scaly bark and lovely red flowers. Likes the temperate areas better and can be grown from seed.

DARLINGIA DARLINGIANA is from the proteaceae family and produces white flowers in spikes up to 20 cm long and 5 cm diamter, and with no stalk. Usually flowers spring to summer. This is a very tall tree up to 30 metres with a 5 metre spread. Usually found in the rainforest, but a reliable garden plant in humid areas to southern Queensland, but is known to grow in sheltered areas as far south as Melbourne, in Victoria.

MACADAMIA intergrifolia common named Queensland Nut or Bauple nut. An attractive garden plant when in flower producing individual flowers in white about1 cm long, on dense racemes and appearing in spring.
Normally found in lowland rainforests, found in areas along the Queensland and New South Wales coastal area west to the Dividing Ranges. The fruit is smooth with an edible kernel.

These pages are showing only a small variety of wonderful Australian native plant species. Around in my park-like garden area, we have a lot of these plants and in the bush areas of our farm, many grow naturally. We have introduced more into our developing "homemade rainforest" area - more along the lines of a sub-tropical forest.

We have so much bird life coming into the garden when different tree and shrub species are in flower - gets very noisy!! Parrots, honeyeaters, cockatoos, lorikeets, kookaburras, to name a few. We have kept old tree stumps for their nesting, and have created a sanctuary where they feel safe to feed, shelter and nest. see my Bird section in My Australia for detail on birds

About the garden we have birdbaths, so the birds can bathe, splash and drink.

My Rose pages are here

My HERB pages are here

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Music is by Geoff - Evening in the Garden

page made June 2000. Updated 9th May 2009