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Growing Native Plants
Why use the Language of the Ancient Romans for Scientific Description?
The Latin of the Ancient Romans is a ‘dead’ language. That is, it is no longer used by any society in the world for day-to-day use. Therefore, the meaning of words remains static. Also, Latin was the written word of the monasteries where in the Middle Ages most knowledge was held by …
Eremophilas
The Eremophilas include a very wide range of flower colour, varying from colourless to white to green, yellows, purples, reds, blues and everything between. Vegetatively the plants vary from some that creep or run along the ground, small and large shrubs, to a few that form small trees. Eremophila oppositifolia, for instance, may reach 6 or 7 metres in height.
Smoking Seeds
In recent years, knowledge about what triggers native seed germination has improved, and we now have additional techniques other than scarification and hot water treatment at our disposal. Some native plant nurseries and enthusiasts have been using ‘smoke water’ to help break seed dormancy and trigger germination, and these products are available from …
Gardens + Walks
Hannaford Reserve, near Tara
The rains had been and gone, and the countryside touched by these rains was ablaze with flowers, especially with a diverse range of little herbaceous species amongst the native grasses. So it was time in early 2021 to go west with the Green Phantom and explore another small remnant of vegetation that …
Hopevale & Battle Camp Road to Laura Excursion
On 4 June 2021, 26 people from SGAP embarked on a five-day excursion to Hopevale, north of Cooktown, the Battle Camp Road and the Laura area. Our Tablelands Branch was pleased to have four members from the Cairns Branch and one member from the Innisfail Branch …
Exploring Crossdale
Crossdale, not far from Wivenhoe Dam and Esk, in the Somerset Regional Council area, is dominated by rolling grassy hills, grazed by cattle and dotted with the occasional remnant tree … a typical scene in south-eastern Queensland outside of the urban sprawl. However, rising up amongst …
Bushfoods
Melodorum leichhardtii – Zig Zag Vine
A vigorous vine of rainforests, the Zig Zag Vine is so named because of the slight bends in the branchlets, showing a distinctly zig-zag growth habit especially in new or young growth. It also is referred to occasionally as Knot Vine because of its tendency to wind around …
Bush Foods – An Aussie Culinary Experience
When you enjoy a slice of Pizza you immediately think of Italy; when you enjoy Sushi your taste buds fly to Japan; a serving of Crème Brulee transports you to the Champs Elysée in Paris; and a hot dog with ketchup …
Lemon Myrtle Punch
This is a small bushy tree with wonderfully lemon-scented foliage. In spring it is massed with heads of white flowers. In nature it is found in the coastal rainforests of southern Queensland from the New south Wales border to Mackay. It is an excellent tree for …
Art + Design
Artistic Endeavour
Since 2003, the Botanical Artists’ Society of Queensland has presented a vibrant and varied exhibition program – including our popular displays featuring Australian native plants organised by Dorothy Muller, at Native Plants Queensland’s annual spring fair at the …
Pruning for Design
For many of us our gardens aspire to be dominantly natural in character, where plants are encouraged to grow ‘naturally’ with minimal human assistance or training. While others take those extra steps to ‘interpret’ nature a little more formally, by a variety of horticultural practices. Pruning is one of those procedures that can ‘give nature a hand’ through …
Design with Nature
It would not have been possible to create the diverse range of parks and gardens, each with its own unique Australian regional character, without the close association I have enjoyed as a member of the Australian Plants Society (NPQ or SGAP in Queensland). Being integrally involved with this organisation at all levels for more than …
Conservation + Revegation
JCU Greenhouses and Glasshouses
On the 15th of March, 2020, the Native Plant Society visited the Townsville James Cook University (JCU) campus to tour the greenhouses, glasshouses and some of their higher profile landscaping to see how they are utilising our native …
Lomandra … it’s a rush!
Ok I’m just going to throw it out there and confess “I love lomandra”. From their bold strapping leaves to their upright tufted habit and sweet-scented flowers, these plants make my blood rush to the point where my partner now cringes when asking “what should we plant here” … but seriously folks… let’s look at lomandra …
Fire on Mount Lindesay: the aftermath
We all watched in horror last November as wildfires devastated eastern Australia. Quite apart from the human cost, the fires wiped out 3.8 million hectares of mostly temperate forest and an estimated billion native animals. Fire sensitive and rarely-burned Gondwanan rainforests were significantly impacted – some for the …
Fauna
Flies in the Pollen
Our look alike cousins, the bee flies (Bombyliidae), have large, stout and hairy bodies allowing them to easily mimic wasps or bees. Many beeflies are out and about early in the season and in cold weather they are key pollinators of many spring wildflowers. Some are highly specialised feeders having …
The Story of a Humble Snake Vine
It’s not the most exciting vine you’ll ever see. Mine is a female and bears inconspicuous clusters of small white flowers in spring-summer. However, she does have clusters of brightly coloured red and orange fruit, and peltate, almost heart-shaped, vibrant green leaves. And she certainly …
Cassia Seed-Borer Moths
For many years now a few of our members have been propagating native Cassias and Sennas from scarified seed. Cassia marksiana and Cassia tomentella are spectacular flowering trees from our local area (south east Queensland). Cassia tomentella is more suited to smaller gardens and …
Books
Book Review: Plant Names. A Guide to Botanical Nomenclature. 4th Edition
This updated edition incorporates the latest information and changes in the International Code of Nomenclature (ICN) that guides botanists, horticulturists and publishers on accepted technical information such as plant names, naming procedures, cultivar …
Book Review: Illustrated Plant Glossary
Botanical glossaries are usually small explanatory sections in botany books that you refer to when another unknown term is used. However, here’s a glossary that’s a whole book in itself, that will assist in understanding the complexities and intricacies of practically all botanical terms and …
Book Review: Plants of the Burra Range
Betsy Jackes’ splendid new book, ‘Plants of the Burra Range’ is a completely revamped and redesigned new edition of her 1984 field guide.
Beautifully presented and well laid out with easy identification as a goal, it’s the only guide to the amazing wildflowers of …
