Archive for the 'Hardy Australian Native PLants' Category

Plants That Tolerate Dry Conditions

No Comments »26th January, 2008; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Hardy Australian Native PLants

A list like this could have some surprising species. Drought tolerance is a subjective thing in a plant. It depends on the amount of natural rainfall, whether it fell in the usual time of the year for the area, whether the garden is mulched, what shade is available, protection from hot drying winds etc. It is easier to change the conditions in a garden than in a paddock. In general, if conditions have been average then these plants should manage 3-4 months of summer with little extra water. Of course if some water is available they will do better. One deep watering is far more beneficial than many light weekly waterings in any situation. Be aware that many Australian native species have a ‘quiet’ time during summer and manage on little water as a result. Excessive watering in this case is likely to kill the plants. It pays to know about the plants that are grown.

This list is intended for garden culture. These are some plants I know of. There will be many that can be added.

Some Plants that tolerate dry conditions prostrate to 1 metre tall.

Acacia brownii

Acacia lasiocarpa

Acacia mitchellii

Acacia pulchella

Astroloma humifusum

Astroloma pinifolium

Banksia petiolaris

Boronia caerulescens

Boronia filifolia

Boronia inornata

Calocephalus brownii

Calothamnus vallidus

Carpobrotus rossii

Carpobrotus modestos

Cheiranthera linearis

Dampiera linearis

Dampiera marifolia

Dampiera rosmarinifolius

Darwinia neildiana

Eremaea fimbriata

Eremaea violacea

Eremophila densifolia

Eremophila glabra forms

Eremophila glabra ‘Kalbarri Carpet’

Eremophila teretifolia

Eremophila veneta

Eriostemon pungens

Eriostemon verrucosus

Grevillea baxteri

Grevillea ‘Crosbie Morrison’

Grevillea juniperina (prostrate)

Grevillea nudiflora

Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’

Grevillea thelemanniana prostrate forms

Grevillea ‘Ellendale Pool’

Grevillea ‘Ellendale Lace’

Mallee in Flower

Eucalyptus phenax (White Mallee)

I was working in the Nursery this morning and could hear what I thought was the neighbour’s air conditioner. It was there in the background but I could not track the other noise that was there. When I looked up above my head I saw it. There were hundreds of bees in the canopy of the tree because it was smothered in flowers.

I love our local mallee trees. Against all odds they put on beautiful new new leaf growth and flower prolifically when everything else has ‘quietened down’ for the hot summers we have here. We seem to have three different species and they flower consecutively. If I was into bee keeping, it would be worth while having hives here for about three months. These are moderately fast growing plants suitable for limestone soils.

Eucalyptus gracilis (White Mallee)

Banksia blechnifolia

1 Comment »12th December, 2007; Category: Banksias, Drought Tolerant Plants, Hardy Australian Native PLants

Banksia blechnifolia

This is an interesting ground creeping plant. The stems lay horizontally across the ground and some send up ‘suckers’ in much the same way as couch grass and the flower buds appear in the same manner as can be seen in this photo. I also like the colour of this species.

This photo was taken at the entrance to Cranbourne Botanic Gardens. The soil is quite sandy and reflects the main need for all Banksias and that is very good drainage. This can be achieved by planting in a raised bed. I have read that the top of the planting hole only needs to be 4-6 inches (10-20cm) above the surrounding ground level to achieve the drainage required. The plant grows 2-4m wide and about 50cm high.

This is an adaptable drought hardy plant originating in Western Australia, north of Esperence. It will tolerate dappled shade through to full sun. It withstands light to moderate frosts.

Eucalyptus macrocarpa (Mottlecah)

1 Comment »9th December, 2007; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Hardy Australian Native PLants, Trees

Eucalyptus macrocarpa (Mottlecah) fruit

Eucalyptus macrocarpa is a plant from Western Australia and is much valued for its huge dark pinky red flowers and grey- green foliage in floral art work. The gum nuts measure about 3 inches (75mm) across and are also very decorative. When they split to release the seeds, an opening is left which will hold a small candle. With the base levelled off these make a great Christmas decoration.

This beautiful shrubby tree has been the subject of some comments on an earlier article that I wrote. I responded to one reader who asked about the life span and hardiness of the tree…

â€œI can tell you from experience that Eucalyptus macrocarpa is a long lived plant. One that I know, at the end of a school playground, continues even now after 25+ years of being trampled, swung in, climbed through, footballs thrown in etc. Another near where I live is about 23 years old. These are mallee plants ie, shoot from the base when broken or cut or burnt, and have multiple stems. They need good drainage and airflow around them otherwise they tend to suffer from sooty mould. Eucalyptus macrocarpa is well worth trying for the flower display. It would make good large pot plants if you cannot give it the conditions that is needed.â€

Another reader’s comment would interest Australian plant growers.

From Ron…”I have grown Eucalyptus macrocarpa in my garden for more than 20 years. They seem to thrive on the hot/dry summers we have here in Escondido, CA. (We only average about 12 inches (300mm) of rainfall a year and recently we havenâ€™t even seen that. Our rainy season in in the fall and winter.)

I rarely ever water the plants and they are very adapted to drought once established. My trees (very shrubby, multibranched, 12ft.(4metres) high) are absolutely beautiful. Although the oldest of my 3 trees is a little more than 20 years old, I know of several in San Diego (about 20 minutes from my house) that are more than 35 years old and I suspect thay live a lot longer than that.
So they have a very long lifespan.”

The conditions sound like mine here except that we are experiencing drought at the moment and have no subsoil moisture. Even the native plants are struggling. (The photo above shows some sooty mould on the leaves.)

Bursaria spinosa (Christmas Bush)

No Comments »8th December, 2007; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Hardy Australian Native PLants

Bursaria spinosa (Christmas Bush)

This is one of several ‘Christmas Bushes’ in Australia. This is the one that grows in South Australia and is a sparse shrub to about 3 metres tall around this area of the Mallee. In the South Eastern part of the state they are quite substantial trees with bushy crowns and the with the appearance of snow all over them when in flower. The flowering period is from early November through to February.

I remember as a child picking armfuls of the branches to take home and arrange in a big vase to place in the open fire place which of course was not in use during the summer. The trouble was that ants love the plants which drip with nectar when in full bloom.

Bursaria spinosa (Christmas Bush)