Natives (A-Z)

Callistemon Matthew Flinders

Matthew Flinders: Supposed to grow less than 1 metre high. Red bottlebrush flowers attract small honey eating birds to your garden.  Flowers are at their peak in late winter and spring but with some scattered flower throughout the year.  Prune after flowering – flowers on new growth Where: – 3 planted on verge in 2020

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Melastoma malabathricum was Melastoma affine (Blue Tongue)

(was Melastoma affine, also known as Native Lassiandra) 6 March 2021 – after the rain I have found both my Melastomas in flower. But only the one in the front garden appears to be the native Melastoma malabathricum Native Lassiandra is a rounded shrub grows to three metres high with lilac flowers to five cm

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Psychotria daphnoides (Turkey Bush)

Also known as Turkey Bush. Bushy rainforest shrub to 5 metres (some sites say less). Small white flowers in clusters in spring and summer. Can tolerate full to filtered sun in moist, well drained soil. Tubestock from Kumbartcho December 2020 Planted against the eastern wall at the top of the native bed. Links https://sown.com.au/psychotria-daphnoides-rubiaceae-smooth-psychotria-turkey-bush/

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Westringia fruticosa and Westringia eremicola

Westringia is a very hardy, versatile little shrub. You can let it grow wild or trim into neat balls. It’s an ideal plant for the nature strip. Westringia fruticosa has white flowers right through the year Westringia eremicola has slightly finer, greener leaves and purple/lilac flowers. Westringia just needs an occasional trim to keep a ball

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Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Yellow Buttons)

Host plant for Painted Lady Butterfly Evergreen perennial with prostrate spreading habit Green or Silver Grey Leaves to 5 cm x 25 mm Small Yellow flowers in terminal clusters most of the year. I’ve tried this plant several times as a groundcover without success until one plant in a pot against the back wall was

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Bursaria spinosa

Prickly for the birds – full sun to partial shade. Prune to keep bushy. Tubestock from Kumbartcho. Planted in middle bed 3 December 2020 Died after extreme rain even February/March 2022 Links: https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/bursaria-spinosa-sweet-bursaria/ “ranging from a prostate shrub to a small tree — in cultivation it is usually grown as a small to medium shrub for garden

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Brachychiton bidwillii Little Kurrajong

Tubestock from Kumbartcho 1 December 2020 Erect Open Habit Semi-Deciduous to 4 Metres High Full Sun / Semi-Shade Soil/ Conditions: Adaptable / Well-Drained Family: Sterculiaceae Natural Habitat: Dry Rainforest Flowers on bare branches from late winter. Responds well to pruning. Dark Green lobed hairy leaves to 20 cm long Red or Pink trumpet flowers to

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Eustrephus latifolius Wombat Berry

Wombat berry tubestock fro Kumbartcho 1 December 2020 Planted at base of repurposed pool fence on western wall. Sun or partial shade. Tuberous-rooted, twinning, multi-stemmed scrambling vine climbs up to 6m on a suitable trellis, or forms a clump 3m across without support. Berries attract fruit-eating birds, the tuberous roots attract wombats and other native

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Indigofera australis

Tubestock from Kumbartcho 6-10-2020 Full Sun / Semi-Shade Soil/Conditions: Adaptable Description: Spreading Open Habit Evergreen Perennial Blue-Green velvety leaves to 4 cm on Purple stems Pink to Light Purple flowers to 6 mm on spikes to 15 cm in Spring Bright Green spotted seed pods to 45 mm Family: Fabaceae Natural Habitat: Open Eucalypt Forest

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Plectranthus argentatus

Velvety silvery green leaves to 110mm. Pinch out to encourage bushiness. White / pale blue flowers from summer through to autumn. Small soft nut fruit? Prefers well-drained soils in shade but will grow in sun. Needs hard pruning every couple of years. Tubestock Kumbartcho 27 November 2020.  Thriving under the Acacia fimbriata facing SE corner.

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Citrus Australis

Citrus Australis tubestock from Kumbartcho 27 November 2020 The Dooja, round lime, Gympie lime, Australian lime or Australian round lime, native to Queensland.  Full sun to part shade. Prune to shape and size required. Like all citruses: attracts Orchard swallowtail, fuscous swallowtail, dainty swallowtail butterflies Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrus_australis https://witjutigrub.com.au/index.php/info-sheets/10-round-lime-gympie-lime-or-dooja-citrus-australis https://www.daleysfruit.com.au/bushfood/roundlime.htm https://sown.com.au/citrus-australis-rutaceae-native-lime-round-lime/

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Themeda triandra Kangaroo Grass

Known as Kangaroo Grass.  According to Kumbartcho, local habit is Tussock Forming Erect Habit Evergreen Perennial to 60 cm High Full Sun, Adaptable / Well-Drained Green slender leaves to 50 cm Flowers in spikes to 1.5 Metres high in Spring to Summer Brown pointed seed capsules to 7 cm, often pendulous Family: Poaceae Natural Habitat: Eucalypt Forest

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Cyperus gracilis

Slender flat sedge native to Australia. The species epithet gracilis refers to the graceful form of the leaves. “SEDGE TO 0.3 METRES TALL Densely tufted grass-like plant with slender pale green foliage. Small yellow-green flowers are held on stalks above the foliage in spring & summer. Quite adaptable & hardy once established, often self-sowing around the

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Baeckea virgata

Baeckea virgata

Attractive, compact, dense shrub with white flowers that attract small birds and native bees. This one is in almost full shade against the back fence under the Leptospermum – Wild May There are two in the front garden, one on the western side near the verge, and one on the eastern end of the verge. Baeckea

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Canberra Gem

Grevillea Canberra Gem

A prickly grevillea with small pink flowers all year round, much loved by birds of all sizes. The Canberra Gem planted at the front in 2013 has grown to about 3m, although I have seen them kept down to 1 metre in other gardens. In 2017, the double-barred finches made a small, round nest about

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Front Garden Pond

I’ve moved this pond from the back garden where trees had grown and were overhanging. I put it in the middle of the front garden bed, based on an assignment for Backyard Biodiversity course with UTAS. Pond plants from Kumbartcho Nursery October 2020 Front pond 2 December 2020 about 8am so getting some morning shade.

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Schoenoplectus mucronatus

Schoenoplectus mucronatus (Triangular Club Rush)

Erect Clumping Habit Perennial Herb Green triangular stems to 8 mm thick Pale Brown flowers and fruit in clustered spikelets to 20 mm Full Sun Soil/Conditions: Moist / Water to 50 cm Family: Cyperaceae Natural Habitat: Wetlands • Frog Habitat • Dam Edge Stablising Plant From Kumbartcho 6/10/2020 for new pond in front garden

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Crinum pedunculatum Swamp or River Lily

Also known as River Lily, this plant is very hard and adaptable – shade to full sun, pots or in the ground, dry to soggy soils.  Strong green strappy leaves with a large, delicate flower, popular with the native bees. The original plant was bought as tubestock from Kumbartcho, and has been moved several times.

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Doryanthes excelsa – Gymea Lilly

First flower winter 2020.  It’s taking so long to open. Once the flower opens it is popular with the native bees and the honeyeaters. This is in the front garden on the mound so well-drained and quite dry. Tussock plant with sword-like leaves to 1 Metre high Aspect: Full Sun / Semi-Shade Soil/Conditions: Moist /

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