Mallee Native Plants

Banksia hookerana (Acorn Banksia)

No Comments »2nd November, 2006; Category: Banksias, Drought Tolerant Plants, Frost Hardy Plants

We took a day off today to check out the birds and plants at the Arboretum. We took a picnic lunch and thermos and found a spot near the Banksias which were in flower, to have lunch. Actually there were a lot of plants in flower so hopefully I have some good photos to down load.

Banksia hookerana was one that was covered in flowers, some still to open fully. It is a medium shrub 2-3m high. It is frost and drought tolerant and would make a good low windbreak plant. I think it would be a good cut flower also.

Banksia hookerana

Common Names For Australian Native Plants

2 Comments »1st November, 2006; Category: General

I had an email today giving the new site for the ASGAP (Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants) Web site. One item of news interested me. There is now a site where one can track down Australian native plants by their common name. Some people are critical of the use of scientific names for plants but often there is no choice because there is no recognised common name.

Australian Plants Common Name Database

Posted at 6:42 PM, 27 October 2006 by Brian Walters

One of the complaints often levelled at growers of Australian native plants is that they seem to insist on referring to plants by their confusing scientific names. Sometimes there is no choice. Many plants just don’t have accepted common names and in other cases, the same common name can refer to several different plants (‘native fuschia’, for example can refer to Epacris impressa, Correa reflexa or Eremophila maculata, depending on who you’re talking to).Still, urging people to grow Archirhodomyrtus beckleri is not likely to result in increased nursery sales of that plant, whereas, recommending ‘rose myrtle’ might. So, perhaps we should use common names more often.

The Australian Plant Common Name Database can help with this – it can track down common names for a wide range of Australian plants. The database works in both directions; ie. you can enter a common name to find out its scientific name or vice versa. It also works at the generic level. For example, enter “Banksia” and the database will return all the common names for the various Banksia species.

Definitely a very useful resource.

Eremophila glabra prostrate, red form

No Comments »31st October, 2006; Category: Eremophila, Hardy Australian Native PLants

Stumpy Tail Lizard With Eremophila glabra, a prostrate form

I was watching the birds in the bird bath and spotted this small Stumpy tail Lizard (Shingle Back Lizard). It was munching on the red flowers of this very hardy ground cover Eremophila. It is not just red flowers that they like to eat. I have often seen them eating the yellow and orange flowers of Gazanias which have become naturalised around here. They also absolutely love to eat strawberries.

Eremophila flowers have a sweet nectar in the base of the flowers.

This particular plant is very hardy to frost and drought conditions as well as highly alkaline soil.

Banksia ashbyi (Ashby’s Banksia)

1 Comment »30th October, 2006; Category: Banksias, Drought Tolerant Plants

I walked around the grounds of the campsite mentioned in the previous post, taking photos of plants in flower. A few years ago a small sheltered horseshoe shaped area of retreat was created with a large rockery forming the boundary. I found Banksia ashbyi flowering and looking surprisingly good, although I know this as one of the hardier Banksias.

Banksia ashbyi (Ashby's Banksia)

This is a medium to tall shrub, 2-6m high and 2-4m wide. Leaves are 15-50cm long, with a deep saw toothed edge. The flower heads are bright orange. It needs very well drained soil in a warm climate. It is drought tolerant and frost hardy once established. This Banksia is one of those grown for the cut flower trade.

Chamelaucium (Geraldton Wax)

No Comments »29th October, 2006; Category: Hardy Australian Native PLants, Soils and Potting Mixes

I’ve been to a Women’s Craft Camp this weekend indulging myself in some relaxing hand sewing while making a small sewing box called an etui. There were 72 women booked in at this camp called ‘El Shaddai’. The site is not far from the River Murray at Wellington SA and has been made attractive over the years with wind break plantings and gardens around the site.

I remember years ago when this site was begun how much difficulty there was in planting trees and shrubs. There is sheet limestone everywhere and planting holes were actually blasted.

Chamelaucium 'Meringur Mist'

Chamaelauciums (Geraldton Wax) have a habit of becoming a little yellow in the foliage when the soil alkalinity is too high. This one was looking very good.

The garden soil has certainly been improved and I was surprised to see a few plants there which usually take on a yellowish tone in the highly alkaline conditions actually coping well with the conditions. It proves that the high pH situation can be improved with some attention given to good garden practice. In this case, garden beds have been raised and composted materials added and mulch has been applied over the years.