Mallee Native Plants

Drought Tolerant Australian Native Plants For Alkaline Soil

Corinne — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:24:29 +0000

Alkaline soils can be difficult to manage. Most gardening programmes emphasise the use of lime forgetting that many places beyond the east coast of Australia have alkaline soils. This is particularly so in South Australia.

A hint that I was given was to plant in raised beds. As little as 10cm above the surrounding soil will reduce the alkalinity effect. This of course also provides better drainage in heavier soils.

Moderately lime tolerant plants

Prostrate to 1m tall

Acacia lasiocarpa

Acacia pulchella

Acacia rhetinocarpa

Anigozanthos flavidus

Anigozanthos humilis

Baeckia crassifolia

Billardiera heterophylla (also a climber)

Billardiera cymosa (also a climber)

Billardiera versicolor (also a climber)

Boronia caerolescens

Bossiae cinerea

Senna odorata

Chorizema cordatum

Correa decumbens

Correa ‘mannii’

Correa ‘Dusky Bells’

Correa reflexa prostrate forms

Dampiera rosmarinifolia

Dianella laevis

Dianella tasmannica

Dianella revoluta

Dodonaea microzyga

Eremaea violacea

Eremophila densifolia

Eremophila glabra prostrate forms

Eremophila ‘Kalbarri Carpet’

Eremophila metallica

Eremophila veneta

Eremophila weldii

Australian Native Plants -Second Line Coast Part 6

Corinne — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:30:41 +0000

A further list of Australian Native Plants suitable for second line coastal planting.

Ceratopetalum gummiferum

Chamaelaucium axillare

Chorizema cordatum

Correa ‘mannii’

Correa pulchella

Correa reflexa

Crowea exalata

Crowea exalata x saligna

Crowea ‘Poorinda Ecstacy’

Crowea saligna

Eucalypytus botryoides

Eucalyptus brachycalyx

Eucalyptus burdettiana

Eucalyptus calophylla

Eucalyptus Calophylla rosea

Eucalyptus citriodora

Eucalyptus cneorifolia

Eucalypyus cooperana

Planting To Enhance Drought Tolerance

Corinne — Sat, 03 May 2008 09:16:57 +0000

A new book was launched today at the South Australian, Australian Plants Society Autumn Plant Sale. This book is a tool, rather than a list of plants. It provides a process whereby the gardener can establish whether a plant could be grown in their garden given the natural rainfall, soil pH, soil structure and whether any modifications could be made to the growing conditions.

In the words of the author

‘Realistically it provides a simple method of matching plants to your conditions mimicking the intuition good gardeners develop over many years and recognizes a site’s limitations. Modifications are discussed to extend the range of suitable plants. It is not limited to native plants nor to Australia. It benchmarks each garden’s attributes so the process works anywhere in any climate!’

This tool would work well with the lists of plants that have been published, so that the best choices can be made and if that plant must be one of them, it provides ideas for modifying the conditions so that there is a good chance of success. See details for purchasing here.

Australian Native Plants -Second Line Coast Part 5

Corinne — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:32:08 +0000

This is the continuation of lists of Australian Native Plants suitable for second line coastal planting.

Callitris rhomboidea

Calothamnus asper

Calothamnus chrysantherus

Calothamnus gilesii

Calothamnus quadrifidus

Calothamnus rupestris

Calothamnus sanguineus

Calothamnus schauerii

Calothamnus torulosus

Calothamnus villosus

Calytrix alpestris

Calytrix sullivanii

Calytrix tetragona

Senna artemissiodes

Senna brewsteri

Senna nemophila

Casuarina cristata

Casuarina cunninghamiana

Casuarina distyla

Casuarina glauca

Australian Native Plants -Second Line Coast Part 4

Corinne — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:23:10 +0000

A further list of Australian Native Plants for second line coastal plantings.

Acacia salicina

Acacia saligna

Acacia schinoides

Acacia spathulata

Acacia spectabilis

Acacia terminalis

Callistemon acuminatus

Callistemon brachyandrus

Callistemon citrinus

Callistemon ‘Lilacina’

Callistemon linearis

Callistemon rugulosus

Callistemon pinifolius

Callistemon rigidus

Callistemon salignus

Callistemon speciosus

Callistemon viminalis

Australian Native Plants -Second Line Coast Part 3

Corinne — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:17:23 +0000

This is a continuing list of possible plants for this situation. No thought as to rainfall is included in this list.

Acacia podalyrifolia

Acacia pravissima

Acacia prominens

Acacia pycnantha

Acacia retinodes

Acacia rotundifolia

Banksia menziesii

Banksia prionotes

Banksia serratifola

Bauera rubioides

Billardiera longiflora

Billardiera scandens

Boronia denticulata

Boronia megastigma

Bossiae cinerea

Bursaria spinosa

Callicoma serratifolia

Australian Natives for Coastal Planting Part 2

Corinne — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:09:09 +0000

This is a further list for Second Line Coastal planting.

Acacia ligulata

Acacia linifolia

Acacia melanoxylon

Acacia myrtifolia

Acacia notabilis

Acacia oxycedris

Acacia podalyrifolia

Baeckia densifolia

Baeckia linifolia

Baeckia ramosissima

Banksia asplenifolia

Banksia baxteri

Banksia collina

Banksia grandis

Banksia ilicifolia

More Australian Native Plants- Second Line Coastal Plantings

Corinne — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:01:51 +0000

Finding plants that will tolerate second line coastal conditions can be a problem. This is another supplementary list of Australian Native Plants from an old book.

Australian Native Plants For Second Line Coastal Plantings

Acacia aculeatissima

Acacia baileyana

Acacia calamifolia

Acacia cultriformis

Acacia elata

Acacia elongata

Acacia glaucescens

Acacia lasiocarpa

Actinostrobus pyramidalis

Actinotus helianthus

Actinotus minor

Agonis flexuosa

Agonis juniperina

Angophora costata

Angophora floribunda

Anigozanthos flavidus and hybrids

Astroloma conostephioides

Astroloma humifusum

Australian Native Plants for Coastal Plantings

Corinne — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:38:34 +0000

Here are two short lists of Australian Native plants suitable for coastal planting.

It would be best if you consulted a local native plant nursery catalogue to check on heights and drainage/soil requirements. For example, in our 320 mm rainfall some of these would be quite reasonable for a suburban backyard. However the same tree in an area of 600 mm rainfall could grow to be far too big for the same size yard. The ultimate height and spread of the tree needs to be carefully considered. It is an expensive exercise to cut down a mature tree and a great shame to do so considering the time taken to reach that height.

Front line Coastal (there would be others)
Acacia floribunda, longifolia, suaveolens,
Banksia ericfolia, integrifolia, marginata, serrata
Fugosia patersonii,
Hakea suaveolens
Melaleuca armillaris, halmatuorum,

Second line coastal (there would be others)
Acacia notabilis, pycnantha, saligna,
Agonis flexuosa,
Banksia baxteri, grandis, prionotes
Bursaria spinosa
Callistemon citrinus and forms, viminalis
Callitris rhomboidea
Various casuarinas and allocasuarinas
Ceratopetalum gummiferum
Many Eucalypts
Lillypilly forms
Grevillea robusta

More Plants for Dry Conditions

Corinne — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:32:57 +0000

I was thinking about the list so far realizing that there are many plants which fit this category which I do not actually know apart from what I read in specialist books. There is great information available if it can be found. In most cases it is important to remember that these plants need to have good drainage. Raising the planting hole or the garden bed as little as 100mm (4″), will provide sufficient drainage.

More Plants for Dry Conditions prostrate to 1 metre high.

Hakea purpurea prostrate form

Hakea ‘Burrendong Beauty’

Hardenbergia violacea, purple, pink, white

Hardenbergia comptoniana

Chrysocephalum apiculatum

Chrysocephalum semipapposum

Hibbertia cunieformis

Hibbertia sericea

Homoranthus flavescens

Isopogon anethifolius

Isopogon formosus

Kennedia beckxiana

Kennedia macrophylla

Kennedia prostrata

Kennedia retrorsa

Leptospermum juniperinum variety horizontalis

Macrozamia communis

Melaleuca pauciflora

Melaleuca pulchella

Melaleuca scabra

Melaleuca thymifolia

Melaleuca violacea

Prostanthera calycina

Prostanthera magnifica

Ptilotus obovatus

Thryptomene saxicola ‘Paynes Hybrid’

Verticordia grandis

Verticordia nitens

Verticordia plumosa

Westringea ‘Jervis Gem’