Australian Plants

Jagera pseudorhus

Foambark, Pink Tamarind, Fern Tree. Australian rainforest tree with pinnate leaves, each having 4 to 10 leaflets to 100 mm long with toothed margins. Brownish flowers are followed by large clusters of hairy yellow fruits to 15 mm long in spring. The hairs may be irritant.

Jasminum didymum.

A native jasmine. This is a vine with glossy green leaves and small star shaped while flowers.

Kennedia rubicunda

Dusky Coral Pea. Vigorous vine with large red pea flowers most of the year. It will cover a trellis and climb trees.

Kunzea pulchella

A medium shrub to about 2m, with small 10 mm long grey-green leaves. This Australian plant bears bright red, very conspicuous flowers in spring.

Lepidozamia peroffskyana

Zamia palm. Shiny green fronds on a thick trunk are up to about 2m long. Large male or female cones (on separate plants) emerge from the top of the plant.

Leptospermum brachyandra

Weeping Teatree. This variety come from the Northern Territory. It has small white flowersm but these are not significant. The appeal of this small tree is its attractive light green weeping foliage. The bark is smooth and light brown in colour.

Leptospermum polygalifolium

Wild May. This medium shrub to about 2 metres is a common species in nature and in home gardens. Several forms have been propagated. It flowers prolifically in spring. The white flowers are about 1cm across, and almost cover the branches. Photographed in September in Thornlands, Redland Shire.

Lophostemon confertus

Previously known as Tristania conferta. Brush Box, Queensland box. This very tall (> 35m in wet schlerophyll forest) tree has rough bark on its lower trunk, but a smooth pink-orange upper trunk and branches. Young shoots are hairy, but mature leaves are dark green and in whorls of 4 or 5, and about 120 mm long. The 20 - 30 mm white flowers have a feathery appearance, appear in summer, and are followed by 3 valved woody capsules.

Livistona australis

Cabbage Palm. This tall palm has a crown of large fan leaves. large sprays of cream flowers are produced in spring, followed by black fruit. Photograph courtesy Dot Crane.

Macadamia sp.

Australia has a few species of Macadamia, which are found in the Queensland rainforests. Macadamia integrifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla are used in the commercial production of edible nuts. These macadamia are endemic to Australia, and known locally as Queensland nuts. Unfortunately some Americans have referred to Macadamias as hawaiian nuts, since they have been grown and harvested commercially in Hawaii for many years. but the origin is certainly Queensland Australia. These two species have dark green leaves in whorls similar to some banksia species. The white flowers are in racemes similar to grevileas, and grow within the foliage. The nuts fall off when ripe, and the green outer shell splits open to reveal the hard woody inner shell. These thick brown round shells have to be cracked open with force, eg a hammer, to release the edible white nut inside. These are among the most flavoursome nuts available. The trees naturally occur in rainforest areas, and consequently require a good water supply in cultivation. Seedlings may take more than 10 years to bear fruit, so trees are usually purchased as grafted specimens. Many varieties are available. The aborigines ate the fruit also.

Macrozamia lucida

A small zamiad with the trunk being subterranean. Twisted fronds. This photograph show the female cones like small pineapples at the base.

Macrozamia moorei

A large zamiad with a trunk up to 1m wide and 3m high. Many fronds which may grow to 2 or 3 m long.

Mallotus philippensis

Red Kamala. This is a small tree of the drier rainforests, and found in Australia and South East Asia. It has a fairly dense rounded crown of dull leaves. The flowers are not especially attractive, but the red fruit is conspicuous. The red substance on the outside of the fruits is used in dyeing cloth in some countries.

Melaleuca hypericifolia

Large bushy shrub producing orange-red bottlebrush flowers on older wood, in late spring.

Melaleuca incana

A medium shrub with small, narrow, grey foliage. Cream flowers appear along the branches in spring.

Melaleuca leucadendra (syn Melaleuca leucadendron)

Weeping Teatree. Tall stately tree to 20m along natural creek bank habitat. Some forms have weeping foliage, others are more stiff in appearance. the most striking feature is its almost pure white papery bark, whiter than other species. The white bottlebrush flowers occur in autumn. The plant is happy in clay soils.

Melaleuca nodosa

Small tree to 4m, a paperbark, which is covered in pale yellow ball flowers in spring. Leaves are fine and needlelike.

Melaleuca quinquenervia

Paperbark Tea Tree. A spreading paperbark when grown in the open, to 8m tall. It's usual habitat is swampy ground, as shown in photograph. It produces white flowers in autumn, and a strong honey.

Melaleuca viridiflora

Broad Leaved Paperbark. Tree to 3 - 7 m with white paperbark, stiffish leaves, and bottlebrush flowers in late autumn to winter which are usually white to green, but red and crimson forms are known. Its natural habitat is wet sand.

Melastoma affine

Native lassiandra. Brittle shrub to 2 m, having dark green leaves to about 10 cm with a few prominent veins. Flowers are large, 7 cm, with usually 5 mauve petals. These are followed by fruits which split open to reveal red to purple flesh with numeous small seeds. It is supposed to be edible and to make your tongue go purple! I have not found them to be tasty, but edible. In my experience, the shrub benefits from a yearly pruning, which denses the bush, and prompts new growth and flowers, as well as improving the shape. Otherwise it becomes rather gangly and sparse.

Melia azedarach

White Cedar. Large winter deciduous rainforest tree, which in the open has a wide spread. Sprays of lilac flowers occur in spring followed by orange fruit ripening in autumn at leaf fall and eaten by a number of bird species. Young specimens are fast gowing. Caterpillars can completely defoliate trees.

Melicope elleryana

Pink Evodia. (formerly Euodia elleryana) A large fast growing spreading, open tree with a light coloured trunk, dark green leaves in triplets, and producing masses of pink flowers along the branches in summer. The flowers and following seeds are bird attracting. The tree occurs naturally in high rainfall or wet areas, and it requires a good water supply in cultivation.

Melicope rubra

One of my favourites; everyone in the right climate should grow one (or more) of these delightful rainforest shrubs. Mine flowers 3 or 4 times per year. You have to look inside the foliage to really appreciate the masses of beautiful lolly-pink flowers crowded along the branches. Flowers are followed by aromatic, 4-lobed fruits about 2.5cm across. The plant is related to the better known Pink-flowered Evodia - Melicope elleryana (formerly Euodia elleryana) and has similar leaves, but smaller, and a much denser and more tidy appearance, and is much smaller. So plant one!

 

Myoporum acuminata

Boobiala. A groundcover plant with small white flowers followed by purple berries about 3 mm diameter