Mallee Native Plants

Native Grass Lawn

No Comments »4th December, 2006; Category: Native Grasses

I have been thinking of establishing a ‘lawn’ near the house partly to keep from tracking dirt into the house constantly and partly to have an area available for play. I don’t want vast paved areas.

I know of a lawn of Wallaby Grass (Austrodanthonia Species) which works well but dries off in summer. The idea of growing Weeping Rice Grass (Microlaena stipoides) with Wallaby Grass appeals to me. This grass has underground stolons a bit like couch grass. Couch is a real pest if it establishes itself in a flower bed. The idea of Microlaena running rampant appeals to me. (However I believe it can be a pest if it gets into flower beds). If it did I would get a faster ground cover. It is hardly likely to do that here with our low rainfall. To keep some greenness about it, it will probably need to be watered every three weeks during the summer. Even if water restrictions end up preventing that, I think it should hold and reappear when there is rain.

The biggest problem will be weeds. To keep them down while the grass is establishing will be a constant chore but worth it. Where the native Poas have established and the large patch of Austrodanthonia, there has been a marked reduction in weed plants. So given a chance the Native Grasses will re-establish on our block and a lawn is not impossible. Mowing is minimal with these grasses as just trimming the flower heads is all that is needed.

Using Australian Native Grasses As Lawn

No Comments »29th November, 2006; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Native Grasses

Austrodanthonia geniculata (Wallaby Grass)

One of the points of discussion at the Grasses ID Workshops was the use of Australian Native Grasses as lawn substitutes. This is something that has been written about occasionally over the years before growing grasses as garden plants became fashionable as it is now.

The suggestion was made that it would be worth trying Wallaby Grass (Austrodanthonia setacea) and Weeping Rice Grass (Microlaena stipoides) together in a lawn and that both would accept foot traffic. They would need to be watered probably every three weeks during late spring and summer to maintain a degree of greenness. I think it is worth the experiment to try this on a small scale to see if it is worth the effort of proceeding to a larger area. It means some propagation to get enough plants to have a quick cover of the area designated as ‘lawn’.

The photo shows a Wallaby Grass in the foreground. The cream heads are the seed heads of Austrodanthonia geniculata which is similar to the one I want to grow. The beauty of it is that I have it growing on our block and just need to find some fine leaved plants to use as propagating material.

The lawn would need to be mown when the plants flower to avoid seed set and the nuisance of picking seeds out of socks. This would be a matter of setting the mower at a high setting so that just the flower stalk is taken.

Grass Identification Field Day

No Comments »28th November, 2006; Category: Native Grasses

Grassy Woodland

While having some time away, I had the opportunity to attend a field day in relation to the Grasses Identification course that I have been participating in over that last couple of months. Because of the dry season, plants did not have the growth and seed set that would be expected at this time of the year. The idea of the field day was to see the grasses in the field and get an idea of the general look of the species as a first step in identification. Part of this was also to identify what were the grasses as opposed to species that, although tufted plants, were not grasses.

We were in an area which was Department of Transport reserve land. To my eye there was quite lush growth compared to what I see growing on our place and similar areas in the district. The field day was in the Northern Lofty region which receives more rain than here where we live in a rain shadow.

It is amazing how, once you have been looking closely at grass plants, one’s eyes become quick to pick up the plants growing on the side of the road.

The photo shows some of the grassy woodland we were walking through with a large Eucalyptus viminalis (Manna Gum).

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.