Archive for the 'Drought Tolerant Plants' Category

Hakea multilineata (Grass-leaved Hakea)

2 Comments »23rd November, 2006; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Hakea

Hakea multilineata (Grass-leaved Hakea)

This is another hardy and very pretty Hakea. When we first moved here, the first thing we did was plant a windbreak around our fruit tree orchard. This large shrub was used extensively because out of the plants available to me at the time, this was the only one that would cope with the lime and low rainfall. It proved to be a great choice. Its foliage is well down the trunk, it flowers prolifically at the end of winter and the birds use it for food and nesting. I haven’t been able to convince the galahs to eat the seed pods rather that the almonds, unfortunately.

I can see the flowers from the house which is a great bonus.

This large shrub is a Western Australian species. The books say acidic sandy or gravelly loams. Mine are doing very well in highly alkaline sandy loams. Some of these Hakeas are touchy to raise from seed. They don’t like cold wet soils. Early autumn or spring seems to be the best time, so they can be well grown before the cold of winter.

This plant is suitable as a cut flower. I haven’t tried it but the cut stems need to be soaked in water for a couple of hours.

Hakea victoria (Royal Hakea)

3 Comments »22nd November, 2006; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Hakea

Hakea victoria (Royal Hakea)

I took the opportunity today, when the cool change arrived, to pot on some seedlings. Hakea victoria (Royal Hakea) were badly in need of this and i hope the root disturbance hasn’t been too much.

The first time I saw this plant in the wild was in Fitzgerald River National Park in Western Australia. They were like sentinels on the hillside, with the light appearing to glow through the leaves. It is actually the coloration in the leaves. Those photos are on 35mm slides. This photo was taken at Pangarinda Arboretum, near Wellington in South Australia.

These are very prickly plants and it is a hazard to collect the seed cones which are at the base of the prickly leaves. The flowers are white and unobtrusive. It is the foliage which is the feature of this plant. Plants can be from 2-5m high and 1.5-3m wide. Here they seem to be only 2-3m high and about 2m wide. Flowers appear between June and September.

The soil where it grows here is more or less neutral whereas in the wild they grow in acid soil. I want to try a couple here with the high pH but I am not sure how successful it will be. So long as I can maintain good foliage cover and and reasonable growth rate I will be happy. Semi arid conditions seem to suit the plant but it is only moderately frost tolerant. A sunny location brings out the best colouration in the leaves.

Because of the prickly nature of the plant it makes a good refuge plant for birds and a good plant for foot traffic control.

Drought Proofing Our Gardens 2

No Comments »19th November, 2006; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Eremophila

Eremophila oppositifolia cream form

I have been feeling really angry about statements made by our politicians about the water restrictions. On one hand we have someone saying that water use has actually increased since the Level 2 water restrictions were put in place. Then someone else says that the situation is so bad that we may have to go to level 5 with no outside watering. After all people have got to have water. Then someone else says that water use is actually down 20%. Which is it? The silence since these pronouncements were made last week has been deafening.

How can people live without water? How can people live without green plants around them? Who is it who thinks that people will actually be living if all gardens are left to die around them? How can anyone isolate people from plants? How come, when irrigation allocations are reduced, there is still adequate production? Why are these huge allocations made in the first place to individuals or companies to the detriment of an ecosystem which benefits all citizens? Why are those who use their water in a responsible way treated in the same way as wasteful individuals and businesses? Why is there so little education about the actual amount of water required by plants, the best cost effective way to water, to set up sprinklers or drippers effectively, to use timer taps, to improve soil moisture retention, etc?

In spite of the fact that I feel extremely annoyed, I look at a plant like an Eremophila (emu bush) knowing that the gorgeous flowers celebrate a plant that is drought hardy. It is useful as a feature plant or hedge or screen. Also, so long as it has good drainage and is trimmed occasionally as emus or kangaroos would do it, it will provide pleasure in the garden for many years. There are so many useful Australian native plants like this.

I will get over the feeling of helplessness I have one of these days. I just have to do my bit where I am and hope that lots of individuals like me are doing the best that they can also.

The Eremophila shown is a beauty in that it comes in shades of cream, pink, lilac and ruby and probably some others I don’t know also. It is a mallee plant. That is it grows in mallee woodland areas. I like the calyx which is left after the flower has finished, giving the plant the appearance of another flowering.

Drought Proofing Our Gardens 1

No Comments »18th November, 2006; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Eremophila, General

Eremophila youngii

Drought tolerance in plants is a relative thing. For example, a plant originating from an area of high rainfall may grow quite well here. It may never reach the ultimate proportions mentioned in books or on plant labels but will be a good looking plant–foliage or flowers, whatever is the special feature of the plant– on say one watering a week. The same plant may never need watering apart from natural rainfall in another area. Our low rainfall makes it difficult to maintain growth on many plants without some supplementary water. This, of course, assumes that the plants are already established, which can take up to two years.

How do we drought proof our gardens? How do we manage the plants we have so that they can remain reasonable looking in a time where water restrictions make it difficult?

There are some actions that I want to take over these next few weeks with my own plants.

Beaufortia squarrosa ( Sand Bottlebrush)

1 Comment »16th November, 2006; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Hardy Australian Native PLants

Beaufortia squarrosa (Sand Bottlebrush)

Beaufortia squarrosa is a shrub with brilliant red flowers. It flowers for months from spring through to autumn. (It is similar to Melaleucas). This is another of the shrubs we tried to rescue from the bulldozer. It was cut back hard and put into the new mound that was made to provide the extra drainage required by many Australian native plants.

Beaufortias need particularly good drainage. They are drought tolerant as we proved with this plant. It rarely received water other than the natural rainfall during winter and early spring, totalling 340mm (13 inches). Beaufortias are restricted to Western Australia and most are in the south west. Years ago when we were touring in the south west I remember seeing these brilliant ‘flames’ along the side of the road. I am not sure which species it was but sights similar to this photo were what we were seeing.

We must have some 35mm slides of this species. I must get the scanner going.