Olearia passerinoides
No Comments »26th February, 2009; Category: Daisies, Drought Tolerant Plants, Hardy Australian Native PLants, Plants of South Australia
Olearia passerinoides (Daisy Bush)
Olearia passerinoides is a mallee daisy and is quite a large bush with bright green leaves, different to many mallee daisies which often have grey green leaves. Although this is a shrub, to me it behaves as a perennial shrub, in that new growth appears along the older wood.
The bush has a tendency to become scruffy, with the leaves higher up the stems and the flowers also high. If it was cut back to the lower growths, it would have dense foliage and be a more compact plant, and I suspect the flowering would also be quite spectacular.
As usual, I promise myself that I will do this, and yet another season goes buy. Mine have just finished flowering, so out with the secateurs tomorrow, while I think of it.
Olearia passerinoides is drought, lime and frost tolerant. It has clusters of small white daisies and grows to 2-3m tall by about 1.5-2m wide if left to its own devices. Pruning will keep it to a more compact size.
Templetonia retusa (Cocky’s Tongue)
3 Comments »1st January, 2009; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Hardy Australian Native PLants, Plants of South Australia, Using Australian Natives
Templetonia Retusa
There are large, red pea shaped flowers very attractive to birds and butterflies, during winter and spring. This is a hardy plant suitable for front line coast and inland situations. It is moderately frost tolerant and requires good drainage. This can be achieved by creating a planting mound at least 5-10cm higher than the surrounding soil, if drainage is a problem. Templetonia retusa is found in South Australia and Western Australia. More information can be found here and here.
Mallee in Flower
No Comments »25th January, 2008; Category: Eucalypts, Hardy Australian Native PLants, Plants of South Australia
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)
Xanthorrhoea semiplana Flower Spike
4 Comments »19th October, 2006; Category: Kangaroo Paws And Other Tufted Plants, Plants of South Australia
Xanthorrhoea semiplana Flower Spike
Husband took this photo. It shows the masses of little flowers that make up this marvellous spike. The insects and native bees were working over the flowers when he took me to see it.
I downloaded his photos to my computer as they were really good shots.
I found my small plant of this Grass Tree today. I raised a few from seed and this one must be 5 years old. It is about 30cm tall and is a tuft about the thickness of two adult fingers. Considering that it normally occurs in deep slightly acid sand, in an area of 500-600mm rainfall I guess it is not a bad size. We saw one about 10 years old in a garden and it had a flower spike.
Santalum accuminatum (Wild Peach, Quandong)
Santalum acuminatum (Wild Peach, Quandong)
What a find today! Husband found this on his morning walk today. I knew that they grew up the hill but I thought it was too early for ripe fruit. It is a wonder they are still there with the number of people who drive past.
At a Christmas break up a couple of years ago, one of the Australian Plant Society members made a fabulous Wild Peach Pie, which we had with cream. What a treat.
These seem to be shrubby plants here and I think are suckering plants. They are parasitic and grasses are used as the host in the home garden situation. I did hear that in orchard situations with the extra water and fertiliser, hosts are not needed. I need to research this as I want to have a smalll grove of these. See more information here.