Mallee Native Plants

Growing Correas In Dry Areas

1 Comment »9th December, 2006; Category: Correas, Drought Tolerant Plants

ABC TV featured tonight amongst other things, a Correa glabra from Victoria which had green flowers. A number of Correas have green flowers, including some forms of Correa reflexa and Correa calycina. One form of Correa glabra with green flowers from the Grampians area of Victoria, has grown very well here with afternoon shade and our low rainfall.

We had temperatures up to 44C today. Growing the Correas where they get part of the day in dappled shade seems to save them from drying out too much. In pots they become very hot and I need to find a way of protecting the pots. Of course the best way is to get the plants in the ground where some extra mulch would keep the root systems cooler.

I found years ago with my first planting of Correas that they grew very well in the dappled shade of the mallee trees despite the root competition from the trees. And despite the water repelling nature of the mallee soils. With each plant on a dripper, a micro climate seemed to develop.

Correa reflexa (Sellick’s Beach)

2 Comments »8th December, 2006; Category: Correas, Drought Tolerant Plants

Correa reflexa 'Sellick's Beach'

Correa reflexa is a variable species and appears in many different colour forms and leaf shapes size of plant. The many different forms of Correa are generally referred to by the area or district from which they were collected. These plants give me much pleasure. Some have a fruity frgrance to the leaves. Most are very hardy plants. Birds particularly like them as the tubes contain nectar.

The plant in the photo has been growing in part dappled shade at the base of some mallee trees for years. It grows to about 1-2 metres across and 30cm tall here. Better conditions may produce a larger plant. It makes a useful ground covering plant with its low mounded form.

As indicated by the name it is a form that is useful for coastal planting because of its salt tolerance. It is drought resistant and also appears to be moderately frost tolerant.

Correa glabra variety turnbullii

No Comments »7th December, 2006; Category: Correas

Correa glabra variety turnbullii

This Correa grows locally in rocky soils. It used to be known as Correa schlectendallii. The leaves are quite powerfully scented. It is a summer flowering shrub. I have seen this one growing in dappled shade of Eucalypts and surviving the hot dry summers very well. Like all Correas it does best with tip pruning to prevent bare trunks with foliage on top. Where these plants have been growing, the kangaroos will have done the tip pruning. We have often seen kangaroos in this area.

This particular Correa grows widely in the Mallee region. We found it a few weeks ago at Lowan Conservation Park. It was looking a little stressed because of the dry winter but these plants seem to have a mechanism that enables them to shut down when stressed.

Correa glabra (Variegated form)

No Comments »6th December, 2006; Category: Correas, Drought Tolerant Plants

I have been working on Correas lately, taking cuttings from many as they are covered in new growth. I have several forms of Correa glabra and they seem to be quite hardy plants. They originate from the Mt Lofty Ranges area across to the Strathalbyn plains. One that I have has variegated leaves. The variegations are golden yellow and on some plants individual leaves are very shiny and yellow. Other leaves are blotched yellow.

One of my aims in the next couple of weeks is to begin my Correa patch. The area I have chosen is an open space amongst the mallee trees. The correas will get dappled shade for part of the day.

I wrote about this Correa some weeks ago.

Preventing Frost Damage In Australian Native Plants

No Comments »5th December, 2006; Category: Frost Hardy Plants

I was reading some past copies of Journals from interstate groups of the Australian Plants Societies. I came across an article by Rodger Elliott in ‘Native Plants for New South Wales’. It was titled ‘Can we prevent frost damage?’ According to Rodger there are a number of strategies we can use to minimise the damage like many of our plants suffered last winter. Plants which are labelled as being frost hardy have the proviso added ‘in years of normal rainfall’. So in times of drought the likelihood of frost damage is increased. Now is a good time to take stock and perhaps move plants which may be at risk of damage and plan other precautions for next Autumn.

Frost damage can occur in some plants at about 1-2 degrees C, in others at about -4 degrees C and more at -8 degrees C.

Some Ways To Minimise Frost Damage

Only cultivate frost tolerant plants.

Look for areas where frost does not occur and use these places to grow frost tender plants.

Do not apply nitrogenous fertilisers after mid summer in frost prone areas.

Frost damage occurs when cold air is unable to flow away from an area. Make sure weeds are removed and mulches are flattened rather than heaped around plants. Hedges can prevent the free flow of air.

Keep soils moist.

Gravel and screenings are better mulches in frost prone areas.

Do not prune in winter or spring until frosts have finished for the season.

Hessian is a good cover to provide overhead protection. Do not use plastic.

It has been shown that seaweed sprays strengthen plant cell walls and therefore have a beneficial effect in protecting plants from some frost damage. These are also thought to assist plants to withstand excessive heat.