Genus: Acacia
Species: sclerophylla
Common Names: Hard Leaf Wattle
Flower Colour: Yellow
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 2m
Flowering: Spring

Acacia sclerophylla is not a plant that I am very familiar with however this picture alone makes me want to find a place to grow it! I absolutely love Australian natives that are covered in flowers during their flowering season and that is definitely a trait of the sclerophylla.

This variety is apparently one of the most hardy Acacia varieties, supporting most soil types. It reportedly thrives in both full sun positions or positions that experience part shade and is tolerant of frosts to around about -7 degrees celcius. This makes for one very sustainable and hardy plant!

Though it is not a ground cover, due to its height, it does spread quite wide, sometimes to as much as 3m which makes it a good ‘fill’ variety, to be used to cover big spaces that you don’t want to see. It sends out lots of stems as it grows, making it quite a bushy variety. This coupled with its flower nature leads it to be one of the most decorative Acacia varieties that you can get.

Genus: Boronia
Species: telopea
Common Name: Telopea Valley Star
Flower Colour: Pink
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 1m
Flowering: Mostly Spring but may flower any season

There is not an awful lot of information available on the Boronia telopea species however I will provide you with what I can. I wanted to feature this variety, even though it is similar to the fraseri, because I really like the simple contrast between the light pink flowers and the bright, light green leaves. It is no surprise that it looks similar to Boronia fraseri because the telopea is a hybrid of Boronia fraseri and Boronia mollis.

Being a hybrid, there is no specific naturally occuring location, however the telopea has been proven to grow well on in cool to temperate climates on the East Coast of Australia. Testing in tropical area’s has been limited. This variety is generally quite hardy, able to survive mild frost and mild drought conditions. The Boronia telopea also responds really well to regular pruning and shaping. In this variety, as in many, regular pruning really does encourage it to grow more densely.

I couldn’t what sort of garden position would be best for the telopea, however I would plant it in a position that is at least part shade as most Boronia’s I have grown have required some shade to really thrive.

Thanks to Ian Grieve for the following information.
Telopea Valley Star was discovered and named by my parents John & Mary Grieve at their property ‘Telopea Valley’ Kulnura NSW in the early 1980′s where the plant was growing naturally.  They discovered and named several other plants, all bearing ‘Telopea Valley’ in the name.

Boronia fraseri, Glenbrook Native Plant Reserve Photo: Cas Liber, Sept 2004

Genus: Boronia
Species: fraseri
Common Name: Fraser’s Boronia
Flower Colour: Pink
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 2m
Flowering: Spring

This is a slightly more obscure variety of the Boronia family. It grows and looks much like many other species, but generally doesn’t succeed as well as a garden plant, making it less desirable for most native growers. Because of this there is actually very little information available about how to grow it. However, I don’t just want to advocate easy plants to grow, I want to provide my readers with some challenging plants. If you like a medium challenge, I believe the fraseri will be a good one for you.

For best results with the fraseri, plant it in a good loam soil which is well draining. The Boronia fraseri definitely prefers a part shade location and grows best in temperate to cool climates, reportedly being able to handle mild frost conditions.

Why not give it a go and let me know how it goes!

Photo: Westflora on Flickr

Genus: Boronia
Species: pinnata
Common Name: NA
Flower Colour: Pink (White varieties available)
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 1.5m
Flowering: Spring

The Boronia pinnata species is a native variety that is found very commonly in New South Wales, generally found in areas where sandstone is prevalent. It is a hardy variety that comes mostly in pink but is also available with white coloured flowers.

Like many Boronia varieties, the pinnata is best grown in slightly shaded area’s. It does like well draining soils but, at the same time, does like to remain moist (just not over the top wet). This variety grows best in a temperate climate, though some people have suggested it will handle mild cold and even mildly tropical zones. This is relatively unsubstantiated however.

The Boronia pinnata is great for use as a cut flower but is often sometimes used for the sweet, aromatic scent provided when the flowers and leaves are crushed and as such is sometimes used to make perfumes. This variety is also often grown well in a pot. Because it can be susceptible to the hot sun and/or strong winds, growing it in a pot enables you to move it around the garden if need be.

Photo: Russell Dahms on Flickr

Genus: Boronia
Species: megastigma
Common Name: Brown Boronia
Flower Colour: Yellow and Brown
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 1m
Flowering: Spring

The Boronia megastigma is quite a unique plant in the Australian native business. The normal variety of megastigma has wonderful flowers that are a deep brown on the outside and a beautiful bright yellow on the inside. The megastigma does have a few sub-species with various difference in their flower colour. The Boronia megatisgma Harlequin has flowers with only a browny red tinge on an otherwise yellow flower, the Boronia megastigma Chandleri is red deep red on the outside and yellow on the inside and the Boronia megastigma Lutea is entirely yellow.

Boronia’s are commonly used in the cut flower trade and so are quite highly sought after. They are also very aromatic, which means they have a wonderful perfume. Another use for the megastigma is as a source for essential oils to make perfumes and other things which smell like Boronia.

The megastigma is a relatively small growing variety, growing into a bush of about 1m x 1m. Boronia’s can be a fickle plant, including the megastigma and really are only suited to temperate or cool climates, with an emphasis towards the cooler climate. Grow it in a well draining soil in a sunny to part shade location.

Genus: Kunzea
Species: affinis
Common Name:
Flower Colour: Pink
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 1.5m
Flowering: Spring

The Kunzea affinis is a small shrub which grows to roughly 1.5m in height. It usually grows with an upright nature but can be trained to grow more bushy if you desire. Gently cut the growing tips while it is growing to encourage this Kunzea to become more bushy.

The Kunzea affinis is native to the south of Western Australia and as such prefers a temperate to cool climate. It will grow well in a sunny to part shade position in a well draining soil. Is very hardly to a harsh summer sun and can also withstand mild frosts in the winter.

Very good plant to mix in group plantings with Leptospermum or Melaleuca plants.

Peter Woodard

Genus: Kunzea
Species: capitata
Common Name: N/A
Flower Colour: Pink Purple (White varieties also available)
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 1m
Flowering: Spring

This species of Kunzea is not widely cultivated even though it has been around for quite some time, first designated the name Metrosideos capitata in 1797 and moved into the Kunzea family in 1846. It is native to the east coast of Australia, particularly New South Wales. Generally it will grow to about 1 metre in height, with an erect growth pattern, but it is not that uncommon for it to push 2m.

The best climate for this variety of Kunzea is a temperate zone with dry, sunny summers and wet winters. For best results make sure that your soil drains well. Grown in these conditions the Kunzea capitata will thrive and prove to be quite the hardy addition to your garden. This variety of Kunzea can also handle slight shade to full sun positions in your garden.

I myself am more a fan of the white flowering variety but that is even less common. The purple flowering variety also appears to be very nice though so either could be a good addition to your garden!

Genus: Kunzea
Species: ambigua
Common Name: Tick bush
Flower Colour: White
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 2m
Flowering: Spring

This stunning Australian native is found naturally occuring on the south east coast of Australia. The beautiful white flowers clump together to form a fantastic showing during the spring wildflower season.

The Kunzea ambigua is listed as growing to 2m in many places, however many websites suggest the ambigua varies greatly in height, with some forms tending to start to ‘weep’ (hang over) as the plant grows taller, making them seem shorter than the length of their limbs.

The Kunzea ambigua requires well drained soil and grows best in a full sun position. This variety, like the baxteri last week, is known as a very hardy variety of Australian native plant. Also like the baxteri, the ambigua is likely to grow well in cool or temperate climates around Australia.

For the general public Wariapendi offers a retail nursery as well as an online store (for NSW, QLD and Vic residents) so pretty much anybody on the eastern seaboard of Australia should consider them when you next look to add some Australian natives to your garden. They do also have a wholesale nursery for larger contract deals.

One of the area’s that Wariapendi is relatively heavily involved with is in landscape and re-vegetation programs. Their services in this area include (from their website)

Our services include;

• Design and consultation for rural, commercial, industrial and residential landscape and revegetation projects
• Enactment of projects
• Bushland management services
• Property vegetation management plans to maximise rural productivity
• Vegetation Management Plans to assist property developers
• Landscape Plans ranging from concept through to design and documentation
• Vegetation plans for riparian enhancement and restoration
• Planning and application for government grant schemes
• Threatened species management plans

Another great little feature that they have on their website is a section for hints and tips which incluces hints and tips for gardening in the southern highlands and also a guide for planting trees.

If you are in the southern highlands of NSW, why not check them out?

General
33-35 Church Avenue
Colo Vale, NSW 2575
Postal address -
PO Box 138, Mittagong 2575
Phone – 02 4889 4327
Fax – 02 4889 4092
Email – enquiries@wariapendi.com.au

For Plant Sales
Phone – 02 4889 4327
Fax – 02 4889 4092
Email – sales@wariapendi.com.au

For Consulting and Enactment Services
Phone – 02 4889 4327
Fax – 02 4889 4092
Email – revegetation@wariapendi.com.au

Photo: Brian Walters

Genus: Kunzea
Species: baxteri
Common Name: Scarlet Kunzea
Flower Colour: Red
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Shrub to 2m
Flowering: Winter to Spring

The Kunzea baxteri is best suited to temperate and cool climates around Australia which experience a wet winter and a hot, dry summer. The Scarlet Baxteri is actually quite similar to the Scarlet Bottlebrush, though the red colour in the flower is much deeper with the baxteri.

The Kunzea baxteri grows in an erect nature and flowers in Winter to Spring. It generally tends to grow to about 2m in height although the baxteri can grow taller. The leaves also tend to be smaller than that which are found on plants in the Bottlebrush (Callistemon) species of Australian natives.

This is a very hardy variety that is native to southeast of Western Australia which would be a great addition to your garden.

Thanks to Lullfitz for some of this information.