Plants (A-Z)

These are some of the plants growing in my Brisbane suburban garden. It’s a heavy clay soil, improving every year. It’s an organic garden run on general permaculture principles, with habitat for wildlife, flowers and host plants for bees and butterflies, and food plants for humans. We have no “pets” but share our garden with resident blue tongues, small birds and lots of worms.

Cullen tenax – Emu foot

Atractive nitrogen-fixing vine with common name of Wild or Native Lucerne Attracts Chequered Swallowtail, Common grass-blue and the Tailed pea-blue butterflies Small purple flowers attract native bees. I got the tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery and put it in this hanging pot and forgot about it. Transplanted December 2019 in front of pond near the bee

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Hovea acutifolia

Also known as purple pea bush “A small to medium evergreen Australian shrub that gets small 1cm purple flowers in Aug to Sept. Leaves are green on top with a golden brown underside.” Bought tubestock Kumbartcho March 2019 and struggling in the dry bed against the east wall (water it more), another tubestock bought December

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Glochidion sumatranum (umbrella cheese tree)

Common names: Cheesetree; Pin Flower Tree; Sumatran Buttonwood; Umbrella Cheesetree; Buttonwood White flowers, cheese shaped greenish pink seed capsules & red bird attracting seeds Tree to 15 m high (keep it in a pot) Tubestock from Kumbartcho December 2019. Planted in brown square pot with Brachyscome multifida and Viola banksii below.

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Mentha satureioides – Bush Mint

Bush Mint sometimes referred to as “Native Pennyroyal” Mat-forming herb, rhizomatous and often producing ascending to prostrate branches at nodes; branches glabrous or covered with short spreading hairs. Grows in sandy-clay to clay-rich soils, frequently in grassy areas Sun or shade, attracts bees & insects. Tiny, white flowers will attract bees in summer. The plant

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Ozothamnus diosmifolius – Rice Flower

Common names: Sago Bush, Rice Flower, White Dogwood, Pill Flower Shrub to 2.5 Metres High by 2 Metres Spread Full Sun / Semi-Shade, Adaptable Description: Dense Upright Habit Evergreen Perennial Dark Green aromatic leaves to 15 mm long White flowers in 3 mm clusters of 20 to 100 in Spring to Summer Attracts Australian Painted

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Glycosmis trifolata – Pink Lime Bush

Glycosmis trifoliata – known as Òrange Berry or Pink Lime Bush Rounded open habit, evergreen, perennial shrub to 4 Metres Full Sun / Semi-Shade Moist /Well-Drained Green glossy leaves to 15 cm long White flowers to 5 mm in clusters in Spring to Summer Pink soft berry fruit to 12 mm diameter Family: Rutaceae Natural Habitat: Dry

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Graptophyllum spinigerum “Spiny Fuchsia”

Also known as Queensland Holly or Veiny Graptophyllum Understory plant in Wet Sclerophyll Forest (Full Shade / Filtered Sun but will tolerate full sun) A compact rounded shrub with attractive dark green leaves, and white flowers in Spring. The fruit is club-shaped and about 1cm. long. Attracts Carpenter Bee, Blue-banded Bee and stingless bees. Tubestock

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Spartothamnella juncea

Endemic to Queensland and New South Wales. Common names are Native Broom, Square-stemmed Broom or Bead Bush Evergreen perennial shrub to 1.5 Metres High, Full Sun / Semi-shade Almost leafless with tiny white 5-petalled flowers, orange / red globular fruit most of the year Dry Rainforest said to attract birds but I will be watching to

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Cissus antarctica (Kangaroo Vine)

Tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery December 2019 Label says: Scrambling / Climbing Woody Vine or Ground Cover to 5 Metres, Evergreen Perennial, Bright Green leaves to 12 cm, Yellowish flowers to 5mm, Purplish-Black grape-like edible fruit Semi-Shade / Shade Soil/Conditions: Moist / Well-Drained Joseph’s Coat Moth Host Plant Bird Attracting Hanging Basket plant Indoor Plant Aboriginal

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Eremophila oppositifolia “Moonlight” white form of the oppositifolia emu bush

Eremophila oppositifolia is a subtle shrub, not showy like the grevilleas or the wattles, but it is one the draws the most admiration from visitors. This one lives at the top of a slope, with little care and attention. It flowers in late autumn and early spring. The little brown honey eaters hang from the

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Goodenia ovata – yellow flowers on an unassuming but attractive plant

Although Goodenia ovata is often described as a small, open shrub, it grows as a ground cover on the verge. It’s extremely hardy and always seems to have cheerful yellow flowers.The leaves are glossy green with a serrated edge. Bought as tube stock from Kumbartcho Nursery A second Goodenia bought from Plant Shack in August 2018.

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Dianella brevipendunctulata – Blue Flax-Lily

Dianella berries (November 2018) on front verge. Rich purple berries follow delicate flowers. Bought as tubestock (3), Kumbartcho, December 2016. Planted on west side of tank. Bought as tubestock (30), Kumbartcho, December 2016. Planted on south side of verge. Dianella flowering September-October 2022. This is blue tongue territory. Sweet peas in foreground, Doryanthes excelsa – Gymea

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Putting the Native Back into Nature Strips

On Friday, our new street tree was installed in line with the blue dot by two friendly workmen from the BCC.  They called it a “Lop Con” short for Lophostemon confertus (Queensland Brush Box), and it’s the same as the others in the street. One neighbour who is also missing a tree has already ordered

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Enchylaena tomentosa – Ruby Saltbush

Bought as tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery, December 2016. Planted in south-west corner. Very shaded so plant is quite leggy. Bought a second plant Kumbartcho Nursery, December 2019 for the verge. Shrub to 0.5 Metres High by 1 Metre across Aspect: Full Sun Soil/Conditions: Adaptable / Moist to Sandy Description: Dense Prostrate Habit Evergreen Perennial Grey-Green

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Graptophyllum ilicifolium – Holly Fuschia

Holly Fuschia is a  pretty shrub with leaves that look and feel like holly leaves but red fushia-like flowers rather than berries.  If you have fond memories of holly from the Northern Hemisphere – or associate it with Christmas – this is a good substitute. But it is much more than that. The flowers suit

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Scaevola – Fan Flower

Scaevola is suddenly fashionable. It’s a pretty plant with flowers that look like half a daisy – hence fan flowers. In the new bed between the tank and the house, I have Aussie Winners – aemula which has larger, softer leaves and larger flowers, and some slightly smaller cheaper versions from Ridgy-Didge. They have morning

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Austromyrtus tenuifolia & Austromyrtus dulcis – midgen berry

I planted this along at the bottom of the eastern fence several years ago but it became overshadowed by a more vigorous westringia. Earlier this year the Westringia went and with the new access to light and space this little shrub has grown well. It is now quite leggy but I read it responds well

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Orthosiphon aristatus – Cat’s Whiskers

Bought as tubestock at Kumbartcho Nursery 10/12/2016 Planted at the base of a birdbath by the back tap. The little birds – fairy wrens, brown honeyeaters and willy wagtails, perch on the bottle tree, take a dip, then back up to dry. The purple-flowered Orthosiphon aristatus doesn’t seem as hardy as the white with purple tips.

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Hoya australis

commonly known as the Waxvine or Common waxflower Bought as tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery 10/12/2016 Planted in pot with native violets at base. Wikipedia – Hoya Australis says it is an evergreen climbing vine which may reach 4–10 m (13–33 ft). It has simple opposite glabrous (shiny) leaves 3–6 cm long and 2–5 cm wide.

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Leptospermum polygalifolium – Wild May

Bought as tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery 10/12/2016 Planted toward eastern end of back fence. Sprawling shrub, needs tying to fence. Round, dense shrub to 4m tall.  Sun/semi-shade. White flowers in spring. Attracts birds and bees. Leaves aromatic when crushed. ANPSA “Usually found in sandy or sandstone-derived soils but sometimes found in basalt soil or rocks,

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Hibbertia scandens

Also known as snake vine, climbing Guinea flower or golden Guinea vine Tubestock from Kumbartcho, planted in north-east corner near fence – January 2017 Strikes well from cuttings. One against eastern wall. One growing up dividing fence on western side. And one on the front fence as a backdrop to the verge garden. Here’s a

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Hardenbergia violacea

A flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae, native to Australia from Queensland to Tasmania. It is known in Australia by the common names false sarsaparilla, purple coral pea, happy wanderer, native lilac and waraburra. (wikipedia) Hardenbergia violacea is usually a climbing plant whose branches twist around the stems of other plants. It is moderately

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Mazus Pumilio

Common Name – Swamp Mazus. A native ground cover for wet to waterlogged soils. Rosettes of tiny oak-like leaves. Unusual asymmetrical lilac/blue flowers in Spring-Summer. Grows in full sun or part shade. Low perennial herb forming rosettes connected by rhizomes. Flowering: September–April Bought Native Plant Sale: September 2016 Doesn’t like to dry out. Divides easily.

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