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Plant database

We created this database to help people grow and conserve more native plants. Corrections and comments are welcome. 

Plant categories

  • Trees – generally single trunk, over 5 metres
  • Shrubs – multiple woody stems – less than 1 metre and greater than 1 metre
  • Ground covers – under 1 metre, prostrate, dwarf shrubs or herbs 
  • Grasses and related clumping plants (monocots) – generally herbaceous with monocot features.
  • Vines and scramblers – grow up or out 
  • Ferns – plants without flowers, reproduce with spores
  • Other – Some plants that don’t fit into the above categories

Contributors

Dan Clarke is the editor. Profiles have been written by Jeff Howes, Dan Clarke, Heather Miles, Rhonda Daniels, Ralph Cartwright, Mark Abell, Andrew Knop, Kevin Stokes, John Knight, the Late Hugh Stacy and the Late Warren Sheather. Photos have come from authors and other members, with special thanks to Alan Fairley. 

Major milestone reached

In January 2024, we reached 1000 profiles of native species and cultivars. The goals is to reach 2000.

Why was the database created

Australia has a wide range of ecosystems driven by climate and environment. Selecting the right plant means considering where the plant grows naturally in Australia and what microclimate it prefers. This database aims to help you in that selection. 

More info here. 

Using the database

You can either:

  • Click on a category below to see images of plants in the category, and click through to more detailed profiles.
  • Use the search and filtering features in the table below to find plants of interest and then click on a plant’s Image or Title to view plant details.You can alphabetise the table of plants by clicking on the heading at the top of each column. 

Any plants, such as cultivars that use inverted commas e.g. Banksia ‘Giant Candles’, appear after those without any inverted commas, such as Banksia robur

 

ImageBotanical NameCommon NameFamilyCategorySummaryhf:tax:plant_category
Showing leaves and flower buds
Abrophyllum ornansNative HydrangeaRousseaceae

Abrophyllum ornans is a shrub to small tree to 8 m tall. It is grown mainly for its large shiny leaves and showy fruit. The small greenish-yellow to white, and slightly fragrant flowers appear in showy panicles from October to December. It is a useful edge or pioneer species for rainforest restoration.

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Abutilon otocarpum, image Fiona Murdoch (Mallee Conservation)
Abutilon otocarpumDesert Chinese Lantern

Abutilon otocarpum is a small shrub to about 0.7 metres tall, found on the western plains on NSW, in semi-arid conditions; on red sandy soils, sand rises and dunes. It is also found in all other mainland states in similar habitats.

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Abutilon oxycarpum, image Alan Fairley
Abutilon oxycarpumFlannel weed, Straggly Lantern-bush, Small-leaved Abutilon, Swamp Chinese-lantern, Chingma lantern

Abutilon oxycarpum is a soft-woody shrub growing up to 2 m tall, found naturally on rocky hill slopes as well as creek banks in dry sclerophyll woodlands and forests and sometimes in rainforest, in all states of Australia with the exception of Tasmania. In NSW, it grows on the coastal, tablelands and western slopes, with most of its distribution north of Sydney (but also extending down the south.

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Acacia acinaceaGold Dust Wattle

Acacia acinacea is a small to medium shrub that is found in south-eastern South Australia, most of Victoria and southern NSW. Phyllodes are small, elliptic with an offset mucro (pointed end). There is a small gland near the centre of the phyllode margin. The flowers are in globular heads with 8-20 flowers in each head. Blooms are bright golden and carried in pairs at the base of each phyllode.

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Acacia amblygonaFan-leaved Wattle

Acacia amblygona is a small shrub reaching a maximum height of 1.5 metres. All forms have dark green, rigid, almost triangular, prickly phyllodes and there is a prostrate form registered as ‘Austraflora Winter Gold’.

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Acacia amoenaBoomerang Wattle

Acacia amoena is known as the Boomerang Wattle this name probably refers to the shape of the phyllode but this name could apply to any number of species with similar phyllodes. Acacia amoena is an erect shrub that reaches a height of two metres in our cold climate garden.

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Acacia aphylla, image Heather Miles
Acacia aphyllaLeafless Rock Wattle

Acacia aphylla is a wiry, narrow spiky shrub, to 3 m high, it is endemic to Western Australia and it listed as threatened with extinction.

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Acacia ashbyae, image ©Warren and Gloria Sheather
Acacia ashbyaeAshby's Wattle

Acacia ashbyae is a very decorative wattle with long, spreading branches. In our garden plants have proved to be hardy once established, fast growing and free flowering. Pruning is appreciated after flowering.

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Acacia asparagoides image Alan Fairley
Acacia asparagoides

Acacia asparagoides is a wattle shrub to 2 m tall with a restricted distribution, confined to the Blue Mountains of NSW, between Newnes Junction and Lawson. Here, it grows in dry sclerophyll forest and heath on sandstone.

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Acacia baileyana, image Alan Fairley
Acacia baileyanaCootamundra Wattle

Acacia baileyana is a large shrub to small tree, growing to 8 m tall. It is indigenous to a very small area in southern inland New South Wales, comprising Temora, Cootamundra, Stockinbingal and Bethungra districts, on the western slopes subdivisions of NSW but has naturalised in places like Sydney and the northern and south tablelands, as well as Qld, Vic, SA and WA.

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Acacia baueri ssp aspera, image Alan Fairley
Acacia baueriTiny Wattle

Acacia baueri is a small shrub to 1 m tall, with a decumbent to spreading habit with hairy and warty branches. It grows mainly along the coast, north from the Illawarra Region of NSW, up into Qld.

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Acacia binervata, image Alan Fairley
Acacia binervataTwo-veined HickoryFabaceae Subfamily Mimosoideae

Acacia binervata is a tree to 15 m tall, which can create a dense canopy.

It is found in a range of habitats, growing in dry to moist sites in sandy, to more enriched, to basalt soils. It can be found in dry and wet sclerophyll woodland and forest, or on the margins of rainforest communities

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Showing yellow flowers
Acacia binerviaCoast or coastal myall, Rosewood coast, Coastal wattle

Acacia binervia is a shrub or tree from 2 to 16 m high, with dark brown to grey bark. The phyllodes are sickle-shaped to 15 cm long and about 2 cm wide; and are a striking blue-grey. The cylindrical pale to bright yellow spikes of flowers are very showy and appear in spring from August to October, followed by long seed pods.

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Shows flowers
Acacia blakei ssp. diphylla Gorge Wattle

Acacia blakei ssp. diphylla  is known as the Gorge Wattle. This common name refers to one of the species’ strongholds in the gorge country, east of Armidale in northern NSW. It grows in northern NSW near Gloucester with populations in south east Queensland

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Acacia boormaniiSnowy River Wattle

Acacia boormanii is a beautiful wattle. In spring plants are covered with blooms. The grey-green foliage provides a contrasting background to the flowers. Prune behind the flowers when they fade to keep plants bushy and blooming bounteously.

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Acacia browniiHeath Wattle

Acacia brownii, the Heath Wattle, is a small shrub reaching a height of one metre. The phyllodes are rigid, 4-angled, about two centimetres long and crowned with a sharp point. The flowers are held in globular clusters with 12-30 flowers in each cluster and bright yellow.

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Acacia buxifolia, image ©Warren and Gloria Sheather
Acacia buxifoliaBox-leaf Wattle

Acacia buxifolia, the Box-leaf Wattle, is a native of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. The Box-leaf Wattle is usually a medium shrub reaching a height of two to four metres. There is a form growing on the Northern Tablelands of NSW that develops into a dwarf shrub reaching a height of one metre.

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Acacia bynoeana, image Alan Fairley
Acacia bynoeanaBynoe's wattle, Tiny wattle

Acacia bynoeana is a small shrub growing to 0.5 m high, in heath and dry sclerophyll forest, in sandy soils. It has a limited distribution in NSW, found mainly south from Morisset area to the Illawarra region, west to the Blue Mountains and it is uncommon in the wild, hence it is listed as a threatened species in NSW.

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Acacia caesiellaTablelands Wattle

Acacia caesiella, Tablelands Wattle, is an erect or spreading shrub normally with multiple stems and reaching a height of 3.5 metres. The bark is smooth, grey or brown. Flowers are held in globular clusters with 12-16 individual flowers in each cluster. They are deep yellow and cover plants in spring.

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Acacia calamifolia
Acacia calamifoliaReed-leaf Wattle

Acacia calamifolia, the Reed-leaf Wattle, is a bushy, tall shrub reaching a height of four metres. The flowers are held in globular heads that are profuse, conspicuous and golden yellow in colour. The flowers are held in globular heads that are profuse, conspicuous and golden yellow in colour. Our specimen carries some flowers for most of the year.

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Acacia cardiophyllaWyalong Wattle

Acacia cardiophylla is widely known as the Wyalong Wattle and is said to grow to a height of four metres. The plants in our cold climate garden, reach a height of two metres with a similar spread. The bipinnate foliage is soft and greyish-green. Golden yellow flowers are carried in globular heads with 20-30 blooms in each head. 

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Acacia chalkeri, image Alan Fairley
Acacia chalkeriChalker's wattle

Acacia chalkeri grows to 4 m high and about 2 m wide, with a bushy habit. It is a species confined to a small area around the Wombeyan Caves in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales (north-west of Mittagong) where it grows in shallow limestone-enriched soils.

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Acacia cheeliiMotherumbah

Acacia cheelii is a small tree with flaky bark inclined to be ribbony. The long phyllodes are up to 16 centimetres long by three centimetres wide, sickle-shaped, bluish-green with three prominent veins. The rod-shaped, golden flower heads are up to six centimetres long and held in clusters of two or three in the phyllode axils. The flowering period extends from September to November.

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Acacia clandullensis, image Alan Fairley
Acacia clandullensisGold-dust Wattle

Acacia clandullensis is an open pendulous shrub growing 1 to 2 m high. It is restricted to the Clandulla and Glen Davis areas in the western coastal / tablelands area, west of Sydney, growing at higher altitudes in stony sandy or clay-loam soils. It is associated with Western Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus rossii) woodlands.

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Acacia clunies-rossiae, image Alan Fairley
Acacia clunies-rossiaeKowmung Wattle, Kanangra Wattle.

Acacia clunies-rossiae is a bushy shrub or tree, growing in dry sclerophyll forest, in valleys, on slopes and ridges, and along creeks in the Kowmung River and adjacent Coxs River district of NSW, entirely within Kanangra-Boyd and Blue Mountains National Parks. It has a very restricted distribution.

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Acacia cognata, low growing form, image Heather Miles
Acacia cognataBower Wattle, River Wattle

Acacia cognata is an erect or spreading tree or shrub to 10 m tall, it is found in dry sclerophyll forest and woodland, in sandstone and granite-derived soils, generally south from Nowra in NSW, with most of its extent concentrated on the south coast subdivision, extending into the southern tablelands.

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Acacia convenyi close up, image Jeff Howes
Acacia covenyiBlue Bush

Acacia covenyi, the Blue Bush, is a tall hardy shrub that grows 3 to 6 metres with blue/green foliage and heads of ball shaped yellow flowers during August to September. In cooler climates, it only grows to about 4 metres.

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Acacia cremiflora, image Alan Fairley
Acacia cremiflora

Acacia cremiflora is a small to large shrub, often about 1 metre in height but sometimes to 2 metres. It is found on the central western slopes and tablelands of NSW with some records in the Central Coast subdivision around Yerranderie. Grows in gravelly clay or sandy loam soils, in woodlands and woodland-grassland.

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Acacia cultriformis, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Acacia cultriformisKnife-leaf Wattle

Acacia cultriformis, the Knife-leaf Wattle, is a bushy, medium to tall shrub. The triangular-shaped phyllodes (hence the common name) are crowded along the branches. The size of the phyllode varies from 20 to 30 millimetres long by 6 to14 millimetres wide and bluish green in colour.

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Acacia dawsoniiPoverty Wattle, Mitta Wattle

Acacia dawsonii is known as the Poverty or Mitta Wattle, and is a small, erect shrub with long, narrow phyllodes. Golden yellow, globular flower heads cover plants in spring. Each flower head is composed of four to eight individual flowers.

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Acacia dealbata, image Dan Clarke
Acacia dealbataSilver Wattle

Acacia dealbata, Silver Wattle, develops into a medium-sized tree that will reach a height of 30 metres. The flowers are held in globular clusters with 25-35 bright yellow flowers in each cluster. Blooms are carried from late winter to spring.

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Acacia deaneiDeane’s Wattle

Acacia deanei, Deane’s Wattle, is a tall, upright shrub or small tree with light green bipinnate foliage. Plants carry pale yellow, globular flowers throughout the year. Both foliage and flowers are features of this attractive wattle. Deane’s Wattle will bring that spring time feeling to the garden throughout the year.

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Acacia decora, image Alan Fairley
Acacia decoraShowy wattle, western silver wattle

Acacia decora is one of the showiest wattles, producing globular flower-heads which can each have about 30 tiny flowers from April to October. It is often under 2 m, but can get to 5 m. It tolerates a wide range of conditions.

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Acacia decurrens, image Dan Clarke
Acacia decurrensGreen Wattle, Sydney Green Wattle, Boo’kerrikin (Dharawal)

Acacia decurrens is a tall shrub to tree, reaching 12 metres tall. The bark is green with green branches which have winged ridges.

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Acacia denticulosa, image Leonie Hogue
Acacia denticulosaSandpaper Wattle

Acacia denticulosa is an open, somewhat sparse shrub to 4 m high, it is endemic to Western Australia and it listed as threatened with extinction.

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Acacia doratoxylon
Acacia doratoxylonSpearwood

Acacia doratoxylon, Currawong or Spearwood, is an upright small tree that may reach a height of eight metres. The bark is hard and fissured. Phyllodes are more or less linear, up to 20 centimetres long and 7 millimetres wide and grey-green. Usually glands are absent but occasionally a small gland is present at the base of the phyllodes.

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Acacia dorothea, image Alan Fairley
Acacia dorotheaDorothy's wattle

Acacia dorothea has bright to deep yellow very small flowers produced in globular heads, although the heads can be globular to short cylindrical spikes. Flowering is August to October. Restricted range and not known in cultivation.

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Acacia echinula, image Alan Fairley
Acacia echinulaHedgehog wattle, Hooked wattle

Acacia echinula is an eastern NSW shrub up to 2 m with prickly phyllodes and bright yellow flowers. It is typically found on hills and plains in sandy soils. Its prickly nature offers good protection for small birds in the garden.

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Acacia elata, image Alan Fairley
Acacia elataCedar Wattle, Mountain Cedar Wattle

Acacia elata is a  long-lived wattle-tree, potentially reaching 30 m. It is endemic to coastal areas of New South Wales from the Budawang Range in the south as afar as the Bellinger River in the north growing in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forests. It is considered a weed in Qld, Vic and WA.

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Acacia elongata, image D Clarke
Acacia elongataSwamp Wattle

Acacia elongata is a large shrub growing to 3 m or a bit taller by 1.5 m wide in sunny damp situations in NSW.  It is usually found in sandstone and sandy woodlands and heath. Grows mainly along the NSW coast and tablelands subdivisions but also extends into the western slopes.

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Acacia falcata, image Alan Fairley
Acacia falcataBurra, Sickle wattle, Silver-leaved wattle

Acacia falcata is a spindly and flexuous shrub, growing to 5 m high and only about 1 m wide. It has a somewhat arching/weeping habit. It grows from Queensland, south through eastern New South Wales to Bermagui on the south coast. Its range extends into the tablelands and central western slopes. It grows predominantly on shale soils in open forests and woodlands.

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Acacia falciformis, image Alan Fairley
Acacia falciformisRoad-leaved Hickory, Hickory Wattle, Mountain Hickory, Large-leaf Wattle, Tanning Wattle, Black Wattle

Acacia falciformis grows to 10 m high and has an erect or spreading habit. It grows down the east coast of Australia in coastal areas and extending over the Great Dividing Range to the western slopes in a variety of habitats including moist rocky slopes, gullies and along watercourses, It also grows in Victoria and Qld.

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Acacia filicifolia, image Alan Fairley
Acacia filicifoliaFern-leaved wattle

Acacia filicifolia is an erect shrub or tree, growing to a height of 15 m and is mostly found on the coast and tablelands of New South Wales, into the western slopes. It also grows in Qld.

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Acacia fimbriataFringed Wattle

Acacia fimbriata is known as the Fringed Wattle because of the microscopic hairs along the phyllodes. The Fringed Wattle develops into a bushy shrub and if left unpruned will reach the height of a small tree. We prune our specimens annually to keep them bushy, at tall shrub height and flowering profusely.

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Acacia flocktoniae, image Alan Fairley
Acacia flocktoniaeFlockton Wattle

Acacia flocktoniae is a shrub growing to 3 metres high, with a restricted distribution, found on sandstone, in dry sclerophyll forest only in the Southern Blue Mountains (at Mt Victoria, Megalong Valley and Yerranderie, south to Picton) in New South Wales.
It is a listed threatened species.

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Acacia floribunda, image Dan Clarke
Acacia floribundaSally Wattle, Gossamer Wattle

Acacia floribunda is a small tree / large shrub growing to 8 m tall. It is widespread in forests and woodlands in the sub-tropical and warmer temperate regions of eastern Australia from Victoria to Queensland.

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Acacia fulva, image Alan Fairley
Acacia fulvaVelvet Wattle

Acacia fulva rows as a shrub or tree to 15 m tall, with smooth bark. It has a limited distribution and considered rare, with few records databased, near the Gloucester Bucketts, to Mt Yengo in Howes Valley, near the junction of the Central Coast and North Coast subdivisions, of NSW.

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Acacia genistifolia, image Alan Fairley
Acacia genistifoliaEarly Wattle, Spreading Wattle

Acacia genistifolia s a prickly shrub growing to 3 m high, in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands in NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania. Usually found on gravel and shaley soils. It grows south from about Bathurst, west to Grenfell and Griffith, also recorded in the Warramgamba Catchment

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Acacia gladiiformis, image Alan Fairley
Acacia gladiiformisSword-wattle or Sword-leaf wattle

Acacia gladiiformis grows to 3 m tall, on the tablelands and western slopes of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales, from Warialda in the north through to Cowra in the south. Also grows in the south east area of Queensland.

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Acacia glaucoptera, image Heather Miles
Acacia glaucopteraFlat Wattle or Clay Wattle

Acacia glaucoptera is a prostrate to semi-prostrate shrub from Western Australia, it grows naturally north of Albany and east to Esperance, on a latitude south of Perth.

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Acacia gordonii, image Alan Fairley
Acacia gordoniiGordon’s Wattle

Acacia gordonii is a shrub potentially reaching 1,5 m tall, growing in dry sclerophyll forest and heath on sandstone outcrops in New South Wales between Bilpin in the north to Faulconbridge in the south in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. It is a rare and endangered plant in the wild.

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Acacia graniticaGranite Wattle

Acacia granitica, the Granite Wattle, comes in two forms. One is a low and spreading shrub with a flat top whilst the other is tall with a rounded growth habit. Both forms have long, narrow, leathery phyllodes with many fine parallel veins. Flower heads are small, ovoid in shape, bright yellow and carried at the base of each phyllode.

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Acacia gunnii, image Alan Fairley
Acacia gunniiPloughshare Wattle or Dog's-tooth Wattle

Acacia gunnii grows to 1 metre high and wide in dry sclerophyll communities, in various soil types. Widespread in New South Wales (western areas of coastal subdivisions, tablelands and western slopes), as well as South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory, and Queensland.

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Acacia hakeoides, image Alan Fairley
Acacia hakeoidesHakea-leaf Wattle

Acacia hakeoides a shrub or potentially a tree reaching 6 m tall. Widespread plant, mainly in inland areas of NSW (tablelands to far western plains) as well as Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and into Western Australia. Grows in open forest, woodland and mallee areas, in sandy soils and clay loams.

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Acacia hamiltoniana, image Alan Fairley
Acacia hamiltonianaHamilton's Wattle

Acacia hamiltonianais a large shrub to 3 m high, and its distribution is in the Great Dividing Range and the associated foothills in western New South Wales, from around Rylstone in the north, down to around the Clyde River in the south where it is growing in sandy or loamy soils as well as sandstone outcrops.

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Acacia hispidula, image Alan Fairley
Acacia hispidulaLittle Harsh Acacia, Rough-leaved Acacia, Rough Hairy-wattle.

Acacia hispidula an erect or spreading shrub to 2 m tall. It has a disjunct distribution; in the south of NSW, it is found in coastal localities north from Nowra and is especially common in the Sydney region; then it is found further north from Coffs Harbour and inland as far as Brisbane in QLD.

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Acacia howitii, image Heather Miles
Acacia howittiiHowitts Wattle, Sticky Wattle

Acacia howittii is a potential tree growing to 9 m tall and potentially 5 m wide, it is naturally restricted to Victoria, growing in the southern Gippsland hills, between Yarram and Tarra Valley.

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Acacia implexaHickory Wattle

Acacia implexa, the Hickory Wattle, is a small to medium sized tree that will reach a height of 12 metres. Bark is rough and greyish. Phyllodes are sickle-shaped and up to 20 centimetres long with a small basal gland.

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Acacia ingramii

Acacia ingramii is a tall, dense shrub or small tree that may reach a height of seven metres. Phyllodes are linear, about 10 centimetres long with a small hook. They are said to carry two glands on the margin. One is near the base and the other about halfway along. Close examination of our specimen revealed a prominent basal gland on all phyllodes but no evidence of a second gland.

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Acacia irrorata, image Alan Fairley
Acacia irrorataGreen wattle or Blueskin

Acacia irrorata grows as a tall shrub or small tree, to 12 m tall, mainly in dry or wet sclerophyll forest and on the margins of rainforest along the NSW coast, tablelands and western slopes. Also extends into QLD and Victoria.

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Acacia iteaphyllaFlinders Range Wattle

Acacia iteaphylla, the Flinders Range Wattle, is a native of South Australia and comes in several forms. There is a dwarf form and others that are either medium to tall shrubs with upright growth habit or pendulous branches.

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Acacia ixiophyllaSticky Wattle

Acacia ixiophylla, Sticky Wattle, is a medium, upright shrub. The phyllodes are sticky and about 30 millimetres long by 6 millimetres wide. There is a gland near the base of each phyllode. Bright yellow, globular flowers appear in spring.

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Acacia jonesii, image Alan Fairley
Acacia jonesii

Acacia jonesii is a large shrub to 4 m high and 2 m wide, found in a limited distribution in coastal regions, in central and southern New South Wales. It is restricted to the area between Bargo in the north out to Goulburn in the east and down to around Nowra in the south; it is still considered to be rare. It grows in sandstone and in clay soils, as a part of dry sclerophyll woodland and forest communities.

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Acacia juncifolia, image Alan Fairley
Acacia juncifoliaRushed-leaved Wattle

Acacia juncifolia is an erect to spreading shrub to 3 m high, in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands, in sandy soils. It grows in north-eastern NSW, on the central and north-western slopes as well as the central and north coast subdivisions, extending into QLD.

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Acacia kybeanensis, image Alan Fairley
Acacia kybeanensisKybean wattle or Kybeyan wattle

Acacia kybeanensis is a spreading shrub to 2.5 m tall, growing in two general areas; around the NSW Blue Mountains/Newnes area; and south from the Snowy Mountains into the Gippsland area of Victoria. It is often found on rocky slopes in rocky sandy soils as a part of Eucalyptus woodland communities.

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Acacia lanigera, image Alan Fairley
Acacia lanigeraWoolly Wattle or Hairy Wattle

Acacia lanigera is a rounded shrub to 2 m tall, growing in woodland and dry sclerophyll forest, in poor gravelly and sandy soils in NSW, south from Coonabarabran area and into Victoria, mainly found on the tablelands and western slopes of NSW, as well as the south coast.

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Acacia leprosa 'Scarlet Blaze', image Heather Miles
Acacia leprosaCinnamon Wattle, Leper Wattle

Acacia leprosa is a large shrub to 6 m, found in woodlands of the central and southern tablelands and western slopes, as well as the south coast of New South Wales, extending into Victoria. The cultivar “Scarlet Blaze” has unique coloured red coloured flowers, for a wattle and is the only cultivar that does. It was discovered in 1995 and is Victoria’s Centenary of Federation emblem.

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Acacia leptoclada flowers
Acacia leptocladaTingha Golden Wattle

Acacia leptoclada is an attractive, spreading shrub, a native of northern New South Wales. The common name is Tingha Golden Wattle. Tingha is a village near Inverell on the Northern Tablelands of NSW. One of the strongholds of this acacia is the Goonoowigall State Conservation Area. This large, bushland area protects a range of interesting native plants including Acacia leptoclada and is situated near Inverell.

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Acacia leucolobia, image Alan Fairley
Acacia leucolobia

Acacia leucolobia is an open shrub to 3 m high, naturally found in NSW from near Coolah in the north, south to Katoomba and Burrinjuck, in heath and dry sclerophyll forests. It is mainly found on the central tablelands and central western slopes. Possibly occurs in the Bowral to Wingello area in the southern highlands.

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Acacia ligulata
Acacia ligulataDune Wattle, Sandhill Wattle, Small Cooba, Umbrella Bush

Acacia ligulata is known by several common names including: Dune Wattle, Sandhill Wattle, Small Cooba and Umbrella Bush. It is a rounded, compact shrub that will reach a height of from one to five metres. Our cold climate garden specimen has reached a mature height of 1.5 metres.

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Acacia linifolia
Acacia linifoliaWhite or Flax-leaved Wattle

Acacia linifolia is known as the White or Flax-leaved Wattle and is a tall shrub or small tree. In our cold climate garden plants reach a height of four metres. Branches are pendulous. The phyllodes are crowded, linear, flat and up to 40 millimetres long. There is a small, almost obscure, gland near the centre of the phyllodes.

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Acacia longifolia
Acacia longifoliaSydney Golden Wattle

Acacia longifolia is commonly known as the Sydney Golden Wattle, and is a tall shrub or small tree that may reach a height of seven metres. Bright flowers are carried in spikes with a pair of spikes at the base of each phyllode. In late winter and spring the blooms are both conspicuous and profuse. Straight or curved pods follow the flowers and hold many seeds.

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Acacia longifolia ssp sophorae, image Alan Fairley
Acacia longifolia subsp. sophoraeCoastal wattle, wadanguli (Cadiga)

Acacia longifolia subsp. sophorae – generally a prostrate shrub when growing on exposed coastal dunes, but may grow as a large shrub to 2-3 metres in height (sometimes taller) in more sheltered locations such as near-coastal forests.

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Acacia longissima, image Alan Fairley
Acacia longissimaLong-leaf wattle or Narrow-leaf wattle

Acacia longissima grows near the coast and is found as far north as Nambour and Nerang in south-eastern Queensland, extending down the south coastal areas of New South Wales to around Batemans Bay. It is often found to inhabit the borders of rainforests in wet or dry sclerophyll forest.

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Acacia lunata, image Alan Fairley
Acacia lunataLunate-leaved Acacia

Acacia lunata is a shrub to 3 metres high found only in NSW, from around Cessnock in the north down to around Richmond in the south. It is on slopes and around creeks in sandy and sandstone based soils as part of open Eucalyptus woodland communities. It has crescent-shaped phyllodes.

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Acacia maidenii, image Alan Fairley
Acacia maideniiMaiden's Wattle

Acacia maidenii is a tree growing to 20 m tall, erect or spreading, with deeply fissured bark. It is very fast growing, reaching 1.5 m tall in as little as five months.

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Acacia tindaleae, image Alan Fairley
Acacia mariae synonym: Acacia tindaleaeGolden-top Wattle, Crowned Wattle

Acacia mariae is an erect or spreading shrub to 2 metres high, with smooth bark. It is naturally found mostly in the central and western parts of New South Wales, being fairly common in the Pilliga Scrub, growing in sand. It tends to be found in Eucalyptus–Callitris dry sclerophyll forest, woodland and mallee communities. There are also some North Coast collection records.

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Acacia matthewii, image Alan Fairley
Acacia matthewiiMatthew’s Wattle

Acacia matthewii is a tree growing to 15 m high, found on margins of wet sclerophyll forest, dry sclerophyll woodland and in pure stands, on sandstone and shale.

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Acacia mearnsii, image Alan Fairley
Acacia mearnsiiBlack wattle

Acacia mearnsii is a tree to 10 m tall, with smooth bark. It naturally occurs from Peats Ridge in NSW south, on the coast and tablelands divisions, to Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia. It has naturalised in Western Australia. Found generally in wet sclerophyll forest, woodland and coastal scrubs.

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Acacia meiantha, image Alan Fairley
Acacia meiantha

Acacia meiantha is an endangered plant, consisting of severely fragmented populations that are in decline and are found in three disjunct populations, all within the NSW Central Tablelands within 100 km of each other, growing in dry sclerophyll forest or woodland, in sandy to clayey soils. It grows in Mullions Range (north of Orange) and Clarence (east of Lithgow).

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Acacia melanoxylon, image Alan Fairley
Acacia melanoxylonBlackwood, Hickory, Mudgerabah, Tasmanian Blackwood, or Blackwood Acacia

Acacia melanoxylon is a tree growing to 30 m tall in a variety of habitats, chiefly in wet sclerophyll forest and in or near cooler rainforest from Queensland to South Australia including Tasmania. In NSW, it is commonly encountered up and down the coast, tablelands and it is scattered on the western slopes.

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flowers
Acacia montanaMallee Wattle

Acacia montana is known as the Mallee Wattle. This is a medium shrub that reaches a height of two metres in our cold climate garden. The phyllodes are sticky, leathery, up to four centimetres long by one centimetre wide with distinct veins. Flower heads are globular, profuse, conspicuous, bright yellow and appear in spring.

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Acacia myrtifolia flowers
Acacia myrtifoliaMyrtle Wattle

Acacia myrtifolia is a widespread shrub that occurs along the coastal fringe and inland in open forest and woodlands of all States except the Northern Territory It is a dense bushy shrub growing to 1.8m high by the same width with creamy white or pale yellow ball flowers in Winter and Spring. These are followed by 4–7 cm long curved seed pods.

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Acacia obliquinervia, image Alan Fairley
Acacia obliquinerviaMountain Hickory Wattle

Acacia obliquinervia is a medium-sized tree, growing to 15 m high, in south eastern NSW, ACT and Victoria in dry to moist sclerophyll forest, often on sandstone. In NSW, it grows from the Goulburn River Valley on the central western slopes, south through the tablelands.

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Acacia obtusata, image Alan Fairley
Acacia obtusataBlunt-leaf Wattle, Obtuse Wattle

Acacia obtusata is a shrub, growing with a spindly habit up to 3 m tall and 2 m wide. It grows in NSW on the central and southern tablelands and western edges of coastal subdivisions, from Rylstone district to near Braidwood across to Tumut, common in the western Blue Mountains. Its habitat is chiefly dry sclerophyll woodland and forest.

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Acacia obtusifolia, image Dan Clarke
Acacia obtusifoliaBlunt-leaved Wattle, Stiff-leaved Wattle

Acacia obtusifolia – grows to a large-shrub or small tree, to 8 m high, usually on sandy and sandstone substrates but also on basalt. It grows in wet and dry sclerophyll forest and margins of rainforest, woodland and heath…

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Acacia oshanesii
Acacia oshanesii

Acacia oshanesii a tall shrub or small tree. In our cold climate garden our specimen, after a number of years, has reached a height of five metres with a similar spread. The flower heads are globular, pale yellow and carried in racemes at the base of the leaves. The flowering period is mainly late winter to spring with sporadic flowering at other times. Our specimen carries blooms in late summer. Both foliage and flowers are attractive features.

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Acacia oxycedrus, image Alan Fairley
Acacia oxycedrusSpike wattle

Acacia oxycedrus is a prickly but interesting wattle, growing to 3 m high by 2 m wide. It is typically found on sandy soils in dry sclerophyll forest or heath in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. In NSW, it is mainly confined to the Greater Sydney Basin but with disjunct populations on the far south coast.

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Acacia paradoxa, image Alan Fairley
Acacia paradoxaKangaroo Acacia, Kangaroo Thorn, Prickly Wattle, Hedge Wattle and Paradox Acacia

Acacia paradoxa is a prickly shrub growing to 4 m high by up to 4 m across. It grows in many different communities in various soil types in WA, Qld, NSW, Vic and SA. It has been introduced into Tasmania for cultivation and has naturalized.

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flowers
Acacia parramattensisSydney Green Wattle or Parramatta Wattle

Acacia parramattensis is known as the Sydney Green Wattle or Parramatta (western Sydney) Wattle and is a spreading tree that may reach a height of 15 metres. The leaves are bipinnate and dark green. There is a large gland at the base of each pair of pinnae and sometimes a smaller gland between pinnae (see thumbnail). Ball-shaped cream flowers are displayed in summer and winter. Pods are linear and clothed with fine hairs that are pressed close to the surface.

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Acacia parvipinnula, image Alan Fairley
Acacia parvipinnulaSilver-stemmed wattle

Acacia parvipinnula is a variable wattle in terms of height – it can grow to 10 metres tall but are often found much smaller.  Acacia parvipinnula has a limited distribution in coastal areas of central New South Wales from around Singleton to around the Shoalhaven River where it is found in a variety of habitats.

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Acacia penninervis, image Alan Fairley
Acacia penninervisMountain Hickory Wattle, or Blackwood

Acacia penninervis is a variable plant, growing to 8 m tall. Widespread, especially in inland areas of Victoria, ACT and NSW. It grows with the entire NSW coastal and tablelands subdivisions, as well as the central and north western slopes and into the north far western plains. Also into Qld and Vic.
It is typically found in moist and dry sclerophyll forest and woodland.

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Acacia podalyriifolia, image Alan Fairley
Acacia podalyriifoliaMount Morgan Wattle, Queensland Silver Wattle, Queensland Wattle, Pearl Acacia, Pearl Wattle and Silver Wattle

Acacia podalyriifolia grows to 6 m high and wide, in open forest and woodland in south eastern Queensland and just into the top of NSW on the North Coast.

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Acacia pravissima, image Warren Sheather
Acacia pravissimaOvens Wattle

Acacia pravissima is a tree growing to 8 m tall and potentially 5 m wide, it grows in sclerophyll forests and woodland, in clays and sandy loams on riverbanks, hillslopes and ridges. It grows on the southern tablelands and western slopes of NSW, south from the ACT, extending into Victoria.

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flowers
Acacia pravissima ‘Bushwalk Baby’(cultivar)

Acacia pravissima ‘Bushwalk Baby’ is a low growing form of the usually upright Acacia pravissima, the Ovens Wattle. The phyllodes are small, wedge-shaped and grey. They are arranged spirally around the stems. Yellow flowers are held in globular clusters and cover plants in spring. As the flowers fade cut off each branch behind the spent blooms. This will maintain the plant’s bushy growth habit.

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Acacia prominens
Acacia prominensGosford Wattle, Golden Rain Wattle

Acacia prominens is known the Gosford Wattle or Golden Rain Wattle. The Gosford Wattle is a dense, tall shrub or medium tree. Foliage is often retained to ground level. The phyllodes are up to four centimetres long, blue-green with a conspicuous gland on the upper margin (see thumbnail image) about one third from the left.

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Acacia pruinosa flowers
Acacia pruinosaFrosty Wattle

Acacia pruinosa, the Frosty Wattle, is a medium to tall shrub. The leaves are bipinnate with 9-20 pairs of pinnules (leaflets) per compound leaf. The pinnules are grey-blue. Globular flower heads carry from 40-60 deep yellow flowers.

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Acacia ptychoclada, image Alan Fairley
Acacia ptychocladaSwamp wattle

Acacia ptychoclada is a shrub growing to 2.5 m high and nearly as wide, with a very limited distribution from near Woodford to Mt Victoria, in the Blue Mountains of NSW.

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Acacia pubescens, image Alan Fairley
Acacia pubescensDowny wattle

Acacia pubescens is a spreading to slightly weeping shrub 2–5 m high with smooth bark. It occurs in open woodland on alluvial gravel soils, often with ironstone, around the Bankstown-Fairfield-Rookwood area and the Pitt Town area in Sydney. It can also occur at Barden Ridge, Oakdale and Mountain Lagoon to the west, extending to Nowra and Aylmerton to the south, south-west. It is listed as threatened at the Commonwealth and State level.

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Acacia pycnanthaGolden Wattle

Acacia pycnantha, Golden Wattle, is Australia’s floral emblem. Golden Wattle develops into a tall shrub reaching a height of eight metres. Golden yellow flowers are held in large clusters that may hold up to 60 individual flowers. They cover plants in spring.

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Acacia quadrilateralis, image Alan Fairley
Acacia quadrilateralisNorthern Dagger Wattle

Acacia quadrilateralis is a medium shrub, growing up to 3 metres tall with a spindly habit. It is found in south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, down to Sydney (north of Botany Bay), with a southern disjunct population at Ulladulla. It typically grows on sandy soils over sandstone as a part of open Eucalyptus woodland communities and heathlands.

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Acacia rubida, image Alan Fairley
Acacia rubidaRed-stemmed Wattle, Red Leaf Wattle

A bushy shrub or tree to 10 metres high.I t is often seen as a shrub, mostly single-stemmed.

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Acacia rupicola flowers
Acacia rupicolaRock Wattle

Acacia rupicola is known as the Rock Wattle. This is an appropriate common name because the species name means “of rocky areas”. The Rock Wattle is a rigid, upright shrub that reaches a height of two metres and has slightly sticky foliage and stems.

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Acacia saliciformis, image Alan Fairley
Acacia saliciformisWillow wattle

Acacia saliciformis is an attractive small tree or large shrub growing to 7 m with smooth, greyish bark and a weeping habit. It grows in wet and dry sclerophyll forest, in gravelly, sandy and clay loam soils. It is found in parts of NSW from Bilpin in the south to around Bulga in the north, and possibly also growing in the Budawang Ranges. It has red new growth in spring.

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Acacia schinoides, image Alan Fairley
Acacia schinoidesGreen Cedar Wattle, Frosty Wattle

Acacia schinoides is an erect tree or shrub 10 m high and 7 m wide. It is restricted to coastal central NSW., north-western Cumberland Plain, Hornsby Plateau and the Hunter River Valley (Lane Cove to Maitland) growing in deep shady gullies usually near creeks. It has naturalised into coastal Victoria.

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Acacia siculiformis flowers
Acacia siculiformisDagger Wattle

Acacia siculiformis is known as the Dagger Wattle and is an upright shrub reaching a height of two metres. The common name is apt as the phyllodes are dagger-shaped and come equipped with a sharp point. Individual globular flower heads are held in the axil of each phyllode. Blooms are mid yellow and appear in spring and early summer.

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Acacia spectablis
Acacia spectabilisMudgee Wattle

Acacia spectabilis, Mudgee Wattle is a tall spindly shrub or small tree with arching branches. The bipinnate leaves have pinnules or segments in four to eight pairs. Golden yellow flowers are held in globular clusters. Each cluster contains 20-35 individual flowers. The clusters are held in long racemes. Flowering is prolific from late winter to spring.

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Acacia stricta, image Alan Fairley
Acacia strictaStraight Wattle, Hope Wattle

Acacia stricta is an erect or spreading tree to 6 m tall. It is found in wet and dry sclerophyll forest, woodlands and heath, on a range of soils. It grows all along the NSW coastal and tablelands subdivisions, extending into the south western slopes, and is also in Qld, Vic, Tas and SA.

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Acacia suaveolens, Jeff Howes
Acacia suaveolensSweet wattle

Acacia suaveolens is a sparse and leggy shrub growing from 0.3 to 2.5 m high, with a narrow spread; occurring from southern Queensland, down the east coast of NSW and Victoria, into Tasmania and South Australia.

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Acacia subtilinervis, image Alan Fairley
Acacia subtilinervisNet-veined wattle

Acacia subtilinervis is a tree or shrub growing to 4 metres with grey coloured bark and can have a spreading or erect habit. It is found in NSW, south from around the Lithgow area, growing mainly on the tablelands and then found on the coast south from around Nowra. It also grows in Victoria. It is often found among rocky outcrops as a part of heathland or dry sclerophyll forest communities.

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Acacia subulata flowers
Acacia subulataAwl-leaf Wattle

Acacia subulata, the Awl-leaf Wattle, is one of the best of these “out of season” bloomers. The Awl-leaf Wattle is a New South Wales species and grows on the Tablelands and Western Slopes. It grows into a three metre tall, erect shrub. We prune our specimens to keep them to a bushy height of about two metres.

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Acacia terminalis, image Alan Fairley
Acacia terminalisSunshine wattle

Acacia terminalis is a variable plant in habit, ranging from a small shrub about 1 metre in height to a large shrub up to about 5 metres tall. Widespread in open forest and woodland from northern New South Wales to Tasmania, mainly on the coast and tablelands, usually on sandy soils or sandstone.

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Acacia trinervata, image Alan Fairley
Acacia trinervataThree-veined wattle

Acacia trinervata is an erect or spreading shrub growing to 3 m high. The phyllodes (modified leaves) are very narrowly elliptic to linear with a pointed sharp tip, to 5 cm long and to 3 mm wide. Flowers are produced in globular heads with each head having up to 30 flowers. The heads are produced solitarily in the phyllode axils and are up to 8 mm in diameter. Hence, each wattle flower is very small.

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Acacia triptera flowers
Acacia tripteraSpurwing Wattle

Acacia triptera is known as the Spurwing Wattle and is found in Queensland, NSW and Victoria. This prickly species will grow into a spreading shrub about two metres tall and the same width. Bright yellow flowers are held in rod-shaped clusters. Flowers cover plants in spring and carried for a number of weeks.

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Acacia ulicifolia, image Dan Clarke
Acacia ulicifoliaPrickly Moses, Juniper wattle

Acacia ulicifolia is a prickly shrub growing to around 2 metres high by 1 to 2 metres wide, in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, usually in sandy soil. It extends up and down the entire coast of NSW and west to the western slopes.

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Acacia undulifolia, image Alan Fairley
Acacia undulifolia

Acacia undulifolia is a straggly shrub to 3 m high with pendulous branches. It is naturally found in NSW in a scattered distribution over the upper Blue Mountains: from the north, near Mount Monundilla; to the south around the Megalong Valley; as far west as the Cox River; extending to the east as far as the Watagan Range and Bucketty.

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Acacia verniciflua, image Alan Fairley
Acacia vernicifluaVarnish Wattle

Acacia verniciflua is a variable shrub growing to 4 m high; generally erect and sparsely branched. Grows in dry sclerophyll forest in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. In NSW, it is mainly found on the tablelands and western slopes.

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Acacia vestita flowers, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Acacia vestitaWeeping Boree

Acacia vestita, the Weeping Boree, is a medium to tall spreading shrub reaching a height of 3 metres with a similar spread. The branches are pendulous and the foliage is grey-green. The golden yellow flowers are held in dense globular clusters. Plants light up with blooms from early August to October. The Weeping Boree is found in a few localities on the Western Slopes and Southern Tablelands of NSW.

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Acacia viscidula flowers
Acacia viscidulaSticky Wattle

Acacia viscidula, Sticky Wattle, is an erect shrub reaching a height of three metres. Phyllodes are narrow, linear, and leathery with a small hooked point. No glands are visible on the phyllodes. Flower heads are globular, pale yellow and appear from September to November.

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Acacia Little Nugget close up
Acacia ‘Little Nugget’(cultivar)

Acacia ‘Little Nugget’ is a hardy, small shrub growing to 1.2 metres tall and about the same width, with clusters of ball-shaped yellow flowers during August to September. Acacia ‘Little Nugget’ is frost hardy, prefers full sun to dappled shade and well drained soils.

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Acmena smithii, image H Miles
Acmena smithiiLilly Pilly, Midjuburi (Cadigal)

Acmena smithii – An attractive shrub or tree-myrtle, reaching 30 metres tall. It has a general lilly pilly appearance. Can spread to 10 m wide or more.

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Acronychia oblongifolia (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Acronychia oblongifoliaWhite Aspen, Yellow Wood

Acronychia oblongifolia – A tree growing to 25 m or so tall, from near Gympie in central-eastern Queensland, south through the extent of coastal New South Wales to a few rainforest communities in eastern Victoria. Its natural habitat is rainforest and rainforest margins.

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Actinotus forsythii, image Alan Fairley
Actinotus forsythiiPink flannel flower, Ridge Flannel-flower

Actinotus forsythii is a herbaceous wiry perennial, mostly prostrate with stems to 50 cm long. It is typically found in the Blue Mountains, south of Katoomba, extending south to the south coast and southern tablelands.

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Actinotus gibbonsii, image Alan Fairley
Actinotus gibbonsiiDwarf Flannel Flower, Gibbons Flannel Flower

Actinotus gibbonsii is an annual or perennial herb with ascending or decumbent stems to 30 cm long growing in eucalypt woodland and shrubby heath in sandy (often red) soils. It has a natural distribution in NSW, generally from the coastal/tablelands boundaries to the western plains, extending into QLD and just into Victoria.

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Actinotus helianthi, image Alan Fairley
Actinotus helianthiFlannel flower

Actinotus helianthi is A soft-wooded shrub, growing to one meter in good conditions. It grows mainly in coastal NSW, in open forest and woodland as well as heaths. It also grows inland on the western slopes and tablelands extending into southern Queensland, as far north as Carnarvon Gorge and Isla Gorge, in sclerophyll woodland and shrublands.

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Actinotus minor, image Alan Fairley
Actinotus minorLesser flannel flower

Actinotus minor a spreading perennial wiry herb, erect to spreading horizontally, 15–50 cm high, with long slender stems.

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Adiantum aethiopicum, image Alan Fairley
Adiantum aethiopicumCommon Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum aethiopicum – A common plant in Australia, growing along the extent of the NSW coast, tablelands and western slopes, as well as other mainland states except for Northern Territory. It also occurs in Africa, Norfolk Island and New Zealand.

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Adiantum diaphanum, image Alan Fairley
Adiantum diaphanumFilmy maidenhair fern

Adiantum diaphanum – A rhizomatous perennial fern, growing in rainforest, often along streams or near waterfalls, mainly found on the NSW Coast and slightly into the ranges, extending in Queensland and down into Victoria. Also grows in NZ.

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Adiantum formosum, image Alan Fairley
Adiantum formosumGiant Maidenhair Fern, Black Stem Maidenhair

Adiantum formosum – A perennial ground fern growing to about 120 cm. Widespread, growing in colonies in rainforest or open forest, on alluvial flats near streams, along the coast to the ranges from QLD, down into Victoria. It can dominate the groundlayer in some cases (eg: along the southern end of Lady Carrington Drive in the Royal National Park).

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Adiantum hispidulum, image Alan Fairley
Adiantum hispidulumRough Maidenhair Fern, Five-fingered Jack, Five-finger Maidenhair

Adiantum hispidulum – A widespread perennial fern, found naturally in both rainforest and open, exposed areas in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern Territory. Also occurs outside of Australia. In NSW, it grows along the extent of the coast and into the central and northern tablelands and western slopes. It does not grow in the general western half of the country.

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Adiantum silvaticum, image Alan Fairley
Adiantum silvaticumRough Maidenhair, Forest Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum silvaticum – A comparatively taller maidenhair fern growing in rainforest or open eucalyptus forests, often along streams and moist cliff faces; north from the Illawarra region along the coast in NSW, extending west into the and ranges and into Queensland.

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Aegiceras corniculatum, image Alan Fairley
Aegiceras corniculatumBlack Mangrove, River Mangrove or Khalsi

Aegiceras corniculatum grows as a shrub or small tree up to 7 metres high (but typically about 2 m) in NSW, Qld, WA and NT along the coast in tidal areas, and extending into south east Asia. Its fragrant, small, white flowers are produced as umbellate clusters of 10 to 30.

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Ajuga australis, image Dan Clarke
Ajuga australisAustral Bugle

Ajuga australis – A highly variable (polymorphic) and widespread species occurring in all regions of New South Wales, also in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia. It can be found in a range of soils and habitats from coastal forests to the dry, mallee country.

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Alchornea ilicifolia, image Alan Fairley
Alchornea ilicifoliaHolly, Native; Native Holly; Dovewood

Alchornea ilicifolia – A small tree, to 6 metres tall. Found naturally in or on the edges of the drier rainforests; as far south as Jamberoo, New South Wales, north along the coast and extending west into the Hunter Valley, to Atherton in Queensland.

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Alectryon subcinereus, image Alan Fairley
Alectryon subcinereusNative Quince, Wild Quince, Bird's Eye, Hard Alectryon or Holly-leaved Bird’s Eye

Alectryon subcinereus Is a small tree or shrub growing to 8 m tall and up to 6 m wide with branchlets and inflorescences finely hairy.

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flowers
Allocasuarina grampianaGrampian’s Sheoak

Allocasuarina grampiana is known as the Grampian’s Sheoak and is a tall shrub or small tree with distinctive blue-grey foliage this is due to a waxy bloom. In common with many Sheoaks this species is dioecious (male and female flowers are carried on separate plants). Male flowers are carried on the ends of branches in long spikes. When mature, pollen is released and carried by the wind. Female flowers are red with numerous styles giving them a sea-urchin appearance.

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Allocasuarina nanaStunted Sheoak

Allocasuarina nana is an attractive small shrub that could be grown as a foreground plant in a native garden bed. The Dwarf Sheoak could also be used as a low, informal hedge in the larger garden. The species would make an excellent native substitute for the ubiquitous, slow-growing English Box in this situation.

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Alloxylon flammeum,
image Heather Miles
Alloxylon flammeumTree Waratah / Red Silky Oak

A tree growing to 30 metres tall, spreading to 10 or so metres wide – often much smaller in cultivation.

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Alloxylon pinnatum, image Heather Miles
Alloxylon pinnatumWaratah Oak / Dorrigo Waratah

A tree growing to 25 metres tall, spreading to 10 or so metres wide – often much smaller in cultivation.

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Alphitonia excelsa, image Alan Fairley
Alphitonia excelsaRed Ash, Soap tree, Leatherjacket, Coopers Wood

Alphitonia excelsa – A common tree, growing to 25 m and 5 to 10 m wide in dry eucalypt forest, as well as wet sclerophyll forests and rainforests in New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory and the north-eastern tip of Western Australia.

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Alpinia arundelliana, image Alan Fairley
Alpinia arundellianaNative Ginger

Alpinia arundelliana is an understorey perennial lily-type plant (not woody) growing to 2 m high in rainforest or wet sclerophyll forest; north from Wyong north into Queensland. It is only found in coastal areas.

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Alpinia caerulea, Native Ginger in native garden, image Heather Miles
Alpinia caeruleaNative Ginger

Alpinia caerulea is an understorey perennial lily-type plant (not woody) growing to 3 m high in rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests in eastern Australia. It is found north of Gosford in NSW and extends along the coast into Queensland. It is related to species such as Ginger.

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Alyogyne huegelii
Alyogyne huegeliiNative Hibiscus

Alyogyne huegelii is member of the Malvaceae (Hibiscus) family and is a medium shrub reaching a height of about two metres with a similar spread. The attractive leaves are hairy, with three to five lobes and dull green in colour. The flowers are large, deep purple and hibiscus-shaped.

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Anetholea anisata, image Marie OConnor
Anetholea anisataAniseed Myrtle, Ringwood

Anetholea anisata – An attractive tree-myrtle, reaching 30 metres tall. It has a general lilly-pilly appearance. Can spread to 10 m wide or more.
The bark is brown and corky.

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Angophora bakeri (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Angophora bakeriNarrow-leaved Apple

Angophora bakeri – A small tree reaching up to 10 m tall. It is has a much smaller range compared to some of its other relatives, growing primarily on the NSW Coast, from Nowra to Port Stephens, and west into the Hunter Valley and Blue Mountains.

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Angophora costata, Garigal, image H Miles
Angophora costataSmooth-barked Apple / Sydney Red Gum

Angophora costata – A large tree (rarely a mallee), reaching up to 25 m tall. It has a primarily coastal occurrence in NSW, extending down to the south coast, with some disjunct records in Victoria (north of Melbourne). It extends northwards to north and west of Tamworth, and Armidale, into Queensland and up in disjunct patches, to the west of Townsville.

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Angophora crassifolia, image Alan Fairley
Angophora crassifolia

Angophora crassifolia – A smaller tree, or mallee, reaching up to 15 m tall. It has a very restricted range, confined to northern Sydney on the Ku-ring-gai Plateau. Records are from North Sydney to Brooklyn.

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Angophora floribunda, image Alan Fairley
Angophora floribundaRough-barked Apple

Angophora floribunda – It is a very widespread tree in a variety of habitats in NSW. Its primary occurrence is from south-eastern Victoria, along the whole of the NSW coast into central Queensland.

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Angophora hispida, image Dan Clarke
Angophora hispidaDwarf Apple

Angophora hispida – A small tree or mallee, capable of reaching 7 to 10 metres tall but often seen much smaller, forming a lignotuber. It sometimes has a wide spread for a small tree.

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Angophora inopina (buds), image Alan Fairley
Angophora inopinaCharmhaven Apple

Angophora inopina – A smaller tree, or mallee, reaching 8 metres. It has a very restricted range, confined primarily to the Lake Macquarie area of coastal NSW, between Wyong and Newcastle.

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Angophora subvelutina, image Alan Fairley
Angophora subvelutinaBroad-leaved Apple

Angophora subvelutina – a large tree up to 20 m tall. It is a widespread tree but is found primarily in coastal subdivisions, growing north from Araluen on the NSW south coast, along the central and north coasts into Queensland to around the Sunshine Coast and inland

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flowers
Anopterus macleayanus

Anopterus macleayanus is found in sub-tropical areas of south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern NSW. It is a shrub or tree to about 6 to 8 metres with a spreading open crown to about 4 metres. In cultivation, it does not grow as tall as in its natural habitat of higher elevations where it is constantly moist.

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Aotus ericoides, image Alan Fairley
Aotus ericoidesGolden Pea, Common Aotus

A variable shrub that may grow up to 2 metres, usually with an erect habit consisting of many narrow stems. The stems are often covered in short, matted, rusty or greyish-coloured hairs.

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Archirhodomytus beckleriRose Myrtle

Archirhodomytus beckleri belongs to the Myrtaceae family and is the only species of Archirhodomytus growing in Australia. The other four species are from New Caledonia. The common name for this plant is Rose Myrtle and I suspect this name refers to the lovely fragrance of the flowers especially early in the morning before the day warms up.

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Arthropodium fimbriatum, image Alan Fairley
Arthropodium fimbriatumNodding Chocolate Lily

Arthorpodium fimbriatum, the Nodding Chocolate Lily, is an erect herb reaching a height of 1 metre with fibrous roots terminating in a tuber. The linear leaves are up to 35 centimetres long and grass-like in appearance. In spring and summer each plant carries a flower spike carrying about 12 large, blue, six-petalled flowers.

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Asplenium attenuatum, image Alan Fairley
Asplenium attenuatumSimple Spleenwort

Asplenium attenuatum – A clumping fern found in gullies and shady areas on creeklines in dry and wet sclerophyll forest and rainforest. It grows on rocks or on tree trunks. It grows along the coast of NSW, north from the lower Blue Mountains, into Qld.

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Asplenium australasicum (sori), image Alan Fairley
Asplenium australasicumBirds Nest Fern

Asplenium australasicum – A common and widespread clumping epiphytic fern typically found growing in trees and on rocks (lithophytic) in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forests.

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Asplenium flabellifolium, image Alan Fairley
Asplenium flabellifoliumNecklace Fern

Asplenium flabellifolium – A delicate ground-trailing fern (prostrate) found in gullies of open forest and rainforest, in rock crevices and sometime growing as an epiphyte on logs and rocks.

Asplenium flaccidum, image Alan Fairley
Asplenium flaccidumWeeping Spleenwort

Asplenium flaccidum – A very attractive fern, often found hanging in pendent clumps, growing on trees and rocks in rainforest.

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Asplenium gracillimum (Image: Alan Fairley)
Asplenium gracillimumHen and Chicken Fern

Asplenium gracillimum – A very attractive clumping fern confined mainly to the mountainous areas on the NSW coast and tablelands junctions. It also grows in Qld, Vic, S.A and Tasmania. Plants in NZ are named Asplenium bulbiferum.

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Asplenium polyodon, image Alan Fairley
Asplenium polyodonSickle Spleenwort / Mare’s Tail Fern

Asplenium polyodon – A pendent fern which a thick rhizome, often found growing epiphytically on trees or on rocks.

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Asplenium pteridoidesHen and Chicken Fern

Asplenium pteridoides – A very attractive clumping fern confined to Lord Howe Island. It is typically found in mountainous rainforest, growing on basalt in cool rain forest understorey.

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Asplenium trichomanes ssp quadrivalens, image Alan Fairley
Asplenium trichomanesCommon Spleenwort

Asplenium trichomanes – A delicate erect ground fern, growing from a rhizome, found in higher altitudes on the tablelands of NSW, usually on limestone substrates.

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Astartea Winter Pink
Astartea ‘Winter Pink’

Astartea ‘Winter Pink’ is a dense shrub that will reach a height of about 50 centimetres with a similar spread. The aromatic leaves are about four millimetres long and carried in whorls around the stems. The flowers are 10 millimetres in diameter, deep pink and carried from April to October. Blooms are both profuse and conspicuous.

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Asterolasia beckersiiDungowan Star Bush

Asterolasia beckersii, or Dungowan Star Bush is a very rare plant from an area near Tamworth, New South Wales and is a member of the Rutaceae family. The Dungowan Star Bush is an erect shrub, reaching a height of two to three metres. The leaves are oblong in shape tapering to the short petiole and have an elliptic lamina. The upper surface is green whilst the lower surface is paler green to fawn. The stems tend to be covered in a rusty brown indumentum.

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Atherosperma moschatum
, image Alan Fairley
Atherosperma moschatumBlack Sassafras, Southern Sassafras

A large tree, reportedly slow-growing, to around 25 m tall (to 40 m in some habitats such as in Tasmania; usually with a narrow conical habit to a few metres wide.

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Austromyrtus inophloia 'Blushing Beauty', image Heather Miles
Austromyrtus dulcisMidyim, Midgen Berry

It is found on coastal NSW, north from Urunga, spreading up the coast into Queensland. Here, it grows as far north as Fraser Island.

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Austromyrtus tenuifoliaNarrow-leafed Myrtle, Narrow-leafed Midgenberry

Austromyrtus tenuifolia naturally grows in wet sclerophyll forests, often beside streams or in damp places in the Sydney Basin.  My plant, is now many years old and is growing in my northern suburbs Sydney’s garden, on a thinnish layer of soil over a clay base in a position that is often quite dry compared to its natural habitat.

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Water plant
Azolla filiculoidesWater Fern

Azolla filiculoides, Water Fern, is a member of the Azollaceae family and is a small, aquatic, free-floating fern. The fronds range in colour from green to deep red in colour. It is common in dams and other still bodies of water where it forms dense carpets.

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Backhousia citriodora
Backhousia citriodoraLemon-scented myrtle

Backhousia citriodora belongs to the Myrtaceae family and is endemic to central and southern Queensland (Mackay to Brisbane). My plant is about four metres high and two metres wide and produces masses of white fluffy flowers, about one centimetre in diameter, near the end of the branchlets, in November to December. This plant is popular in cultivation for its bushy habitat, branches to ground level and strongly lemon scented leaves (that can be used in cooking).

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Backhousia myrtifolia, image Alan Fairley
Backhousia myrtifoliaGrey Myrtle / Cinnamon Myrtle

Backhousia myrtifolia – An attractive shrub or tree-myrtle, reaching 30 metres tall. It has a general lilly-pilly appearance. Can spread to 10 m wide or more. The bark is brown with finely flaky bark.

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Baeckea linifolia, image Alan Fairley
Baeckea linifoliaFlax-leaf Heath Myrtle, Swamp Myrtle, Weeping Baeckea

Baeckea linifolia is found in heaths, usually in damp areas and near sandstone waterfalls and creeks (coast and tablelands), from south-east Queensland to eastern Victoria where it is rare. It is an ideal screen plant, occasionally self-seeds and the flowers attract bees.

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Banksia aemula, image Alan Fairley
Banksia aemulaWallum Banksia

Banksia aemula – A tree capable of reaching 8 m tall with a canopy spread to 5 m in the wild.

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Banksia blechnifolia, image Heather Miles
Banksia blechnifoliaFern-leaved Banksia, Groundcover Banksia

Banksia blechnifolia – A prostrate banksia from WA which generates much interest as it grows along the ground.

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Banksia collina, image Alan Fairley
Banksia collinaHairpin Banksia

Banksia collina – Typically, a multi-stemmed shrub to 3 m tall, bearing a lignotuber.

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Banksia cunninghamii flower spike, image Graham Fry
Banksia cunninghamii

Banksia cunninghamii is a large shrub or small tree to 6 to 7 m tall. Its leaves are narrow with fine serrations near the end. It forms an open canopy with flowers amongst the foliage. Originally considered a variety of B. spinulosa, but in NSW it is now considered a separate species. It is found in several disjointed populations along the east coast and ranges from northern NSW to eastern Victoria.

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Banksia ericifolia, image Alan Fairley
Banksia ericifoliaHeath Banksia, Heath-leaved Banksia

Banksia ericifolia – A bushy shrub to small tree capable of reaching 6 m tall and a spread to 4 m in the wild.

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Banksia integrifolia, image Alan Fairley
Banksia integrifoliaCoast Banksia

Banksia integrifolia – A shrub to tree, growing to potentially 25 m with tessellated or fissured bark. It is found only on sandy soils, close to the beach on the coast as well as some inland sandy environments (eg: Warkworth Sands Woodland in the Hunter Valley).

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Banksia marginata, image Alan Fairley
Banksia marginataSilver Banksia, Honeysuckle

Banksia marginata – A shrub to tree, growing to 12 m tall with tessellated bark. It has a much wider distribution compared to other banksias…

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Banksia neoanglica, image by Kevin Collins
Banksia neoanglicaNew England Banksia

Banksia neoanglica – Typically, a multi-stemmed shrub to 3 m tall, but can sometimes be found as a small tree to 7 m tall, bearing a lignotuber.

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Banksia nivea, image Heather Miles
Banksia niveaHoneypot Dryandra, Couch Honeypot

Banksia nivea – A ground-covering small shrub-banksia from WA, found naturally in the south-west of WA, from Geraldton, extending south and east through Perth, Albany and Esperance.

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Banksia oblongifolia, image Alan Fairley
Banksia oblongifoliaFern-leaved Banksia

Banksia oblongifolia – A shrub to 3 m tall with a lignotuber. It is found usually on sandstone and sandy soils, as well as sandy alluvium.

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Banksia paludosa, Abrahams Bosom Reserve, image H Miles
Banksia paludosaSwamp Banksia

A shrub, usually to about 2 m tall but can grow to 5 m.

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Banksia penicillata, image Alan Fairley
Banksia penicillata

Banksia penicillata – A shrub, usually to about 4 m tall without a lignotuber. It is found in restricted areas in the central coast, tablelands and central western slopes, mainly in the Blue Mountains (Wollemi National Park), on sandstone cliffs or steep rocky slopes.

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Banksia plagiocarpa, image Heather Miles
Banksia plagiocarpaHinchinbrook Banksia, Blue Banksia, Dallachy’s Banksia

Banksia plagiocarpa – A shrub, usually to about 5 m tall. It is restricted to Hinchinbrook Island in northern Queensland and the adjoining mainland close to the coast (between Townsville and Cairns).

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Banksia praemorsa, image Heather Miles
Banksia praemorsaCut-leaf Banksia

Banksia praemorsa – A shrub, usually to about 4 m tall. It is restricted to south-west WA on the south coast between near Albany and extending about 100 km east. It grows on sand in sclerophylls shrubland and woodland.

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Banksia robur in Ku ring gai Wildflower garden, image Heather Miles
Banksia roburSwamp Banksia

Banksia robur, Swamp Banksia, is a shrub reaching a height of two metres with multiple stems arising from a lignotuber (swollen root mass). Bark is smooth and the branchlets are covered with tangled, rusty hairs. The leaves are large, with toothed margins, glossy green above and light green beneath.

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Banksia serrata, image Alan Fairley
Banksia serrataOld Man Banksia

Banksia serrata – A tree capable of reaching 20 metres tall in the wild (although such trees will be old) and a canopy spread to 10 m. It is one of the iconic and easily identifiable banksias of the east coast of Australia.

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Banksia spinulosa var spinulosa, image Karlo Taliano
Banksia spinulosaHairpin Banksia

Banksia spinulosa grows mostly on the central and south coast subdivisions of NSW, extending into the tablelands where records are fewer, also extending up the north coast into Queensland, with disjunct populations up to about Townsville.

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Banksia vincentia, image Catriona Bate
Banksia vincentiaVincentia Banksia

Banksia vincentia – A very rare banksia, only recently found in the wild, which grows to only 1 m tall but can spread to 2 m wide, bearing a lignotuber. It has mostly prostrate stems which curve up (decumbent) at terminals.

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Bauera rubioides, image Alan Fairley
Bauera rubioidesDog Rose, River Rose

Bauera rubioides An attractive border plant if pruned, otherwise it likes to scramble all over the place, if ample moisture is available. Prune after flowering to keep compact. Bauera rubioides occurs in coastal heaths and forest of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland. It grows along the entire coast and tablelands of NSW, usually on sandstone creek lines and heathlands.

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Billardiera cymosa
Billardiera cymosaSweet Apple Berry

Billardiera cymosa is known as the Sweet Apple Berry and is a member of the Pittosporaceae family. The Sweet Apple Berry is a slender climber. Leaves are narrow-lanceolate and about seven centimetres long. Young shoots are covered with silky hairs. Tip pruning will increase foliage density.

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Billardiera scandens
Billardiera scandensCommon Apple Berry or Apple Dumpling

Billardiera scandens the Common Apple Berry or Apple Dumpling, is a member of the Pittosporaceae family. Common Apple Berry is a slender climber. Stems may reach three metres in length. Common Apple Berry is a slender climber. Stems may reach three metres in length. Leaves are linear-lanceolate, up to three centimetres long, glossy dark green with wavy margins. Juvenile shoots are very hairy. In open positions plants may develop into a small shrub 1.5 metres tall.

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Blandfordia grandiflora, image Wendy Creighton
Blandfordia grandifloraChristmas Bells, Gadigalbudyari (in Cadigal language)

A tufted perennial monocotyledonous herb or lily with thick, fibrous roots and an underground corm.

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Blandfordia nobilis, image Alan Fairley
Blandfordia nobilisChristmas Bells, Gadigalbudyari (in Cadigal language)

Blandfordia nobilis prefers to be grown in full sun in coastal regions and not colder, drier shady positions. It grows best where the soil is naturally deep and light (sandy) with fairly constant moisture.

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Boronia algida, image Alan Fairley
Boronia algidaAlpine Boronia

A shrub to growing to 1.5 metres tall and may reach about 1 metre wide.

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Boronia angustisepala, image Alan Fairley
Boronia angustisepala

An erect shrub, growing to 1.5 metres tall, spreading to about 1 metre wide.

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Boronia barkeriana, image Alan Fairley
Boronia barkerianaBarker's Boronia

A small shrub to 1 metre tall but can spread to 1 metre wide, producing many stems from the base.

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Boronia crenulata
Boronia crenulataAniseed Boronia

Boronia crenulata, sometimes known as the Aniseed Boronia, is a Western Australian native and is found in the southwest corner of that botanically rich state. This small shrub will reach a height of about one metre with a similar spread

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Boronia deanei, image Alan Fairley
Boronia deaneiDeane’s Boronia

An erect and spreading shrub to 1.5 metres tall, spreading to 2 metres wide.

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Boronia floribunda, image Alan Fairley
Boronia floribundaPale Pink Boronia

An erect, woody shrub to 1 metre.

It is found mainly in the Greater Sydney Basin and slightly further

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Boronia fraseri, image Alan Fairley
Boronia fraseriFraser's Boronia

An erect, multi-branched shrub, growing to 2 metres. It occurs naturally only in the Greater Sydney Basin

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Boronia ledifolia, image Alan Fairley
Boronia ledifoliaShowy Boronia, Sydney Boronia, Ledum Boronia

Boronia ledifolia grows naturally in moist, semi shaded positions with free draining lighter soils. Very showy in sandstone woodlands when in flower. In some seasons, it can be noticed on the sandstone cliffs above the Pacific Highway between Sydney and Gosford. A desirable garden plant in flower from late winter, although Boronia generally are notoriously difficult to grow.

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Boronia microphylla, image Alan Fairley
Boronia microphyllaSmall-leaved Boronia

A shrub to 1 metre with with young branches covered in small, warty glands and scattered bristly hairs.

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Boronia mollis flowers, image Alan Fairley
Boronia mollisSoft boronia

Boronia mollis is a small showy shrub to about 2.5 metres with bright pink flowers. It grows in NSW, occurring naturally around Sydney, ranging as far north as Coffs Harbour, south to around Moss Vale, and inland as far as the Dividing Range, in open forest and woodlands on sandstone.

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Boronia parviflora, image Alan Fairley
Boronia parvifloraSwamp Boronia, Small Boronia, Small-flowered Boronia

A low growing shrub to a height of 1 m with hairless branchlets.

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Boronia pinnata
Boronia pinnataBoronia

Boronia pinnata is a shrub reaching a height of 1.5 metres. The leaves are pinnate with 5-11 leaflets. The flowers are carried in clusters held in the upper leaf axils. Each flower is about 1.5 centimetres in diameter, four-petalled and pale to deep pink in colour. A white-flowered form is also in cultivation. Flowers are both conspicuous, profuse and appear in spring. Both foliage and flowers are strongly aromatic. 

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Boronia polygalifolia, image Alan Fairley
Boronia polygalifoliaDwarf Boronia, Milkwort-leaved Boronia or Milkwort Boronia

A low-lying spreading shrub to almost a herb, growing to 0.6 metres tall but usually smaller and ground-hugging, with stems up to 0.3 metres long.

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Boronia rubiginosa, image Alan Fairley
Boronia rubiginosa

A shrub to a height of 2 metres. It is endemic to New South Wales, growing as far south as west of Berrima…

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Boronia ruppii, image Alan Fairley
Boronia ruppiiRupp’s Boronia

A shrub to 2 metres tall with hairy younger branches.

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Boronia serrulata, image Heather Miles
Boronia serrulataNative Rose, Rose Boronia

A shrub growing usually to about 1.5 m tall. It has a comparatively small natural distribution, growing between Gosford and Wollongong…

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Boronia thujona, image Alan Fairley
Boronia thujonaBronzy Boronia

Potentially a tall shrub, that grows to a height of 4 metres. It is confined to eastern NSW…

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Boronia Carousel
Boronia ‘Carousel’(cultivar)

Boronia ‘Carousel’ has an obscure origin. Possibly it was originally selected from the wild in the Albany district of Western Australia. ‘Carousel’ is a tall shrub reaching two metres in height. The pinnate leaves are aromatic, dark green and up to 35 millimetres long. Flowers are bell shaped, 8mm long, bright pink aging to deep red and are both conspicuous and profuse. Flowering occurs from late September to November.

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Bossiaea buxifolia Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea buxifoliaMatted BossiaeaFabaceae subfamily Faboideae

A prostrate to weakly erect shrub that grows to potentially around 1 to 1.5 m tall but is often seen around 0.5 m tall.

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Bossiaea ensata, Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea ensataSword BossiaeaFabaceae subfamily Faboideae

An erect to low-lying or sprawling (procumbent) shrub, potentially reaching 1.5 m long with a spread to about 1 metre.

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Bossiaea heterophylla, Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea heterophyllaVariable BossiaeaFabaceae subfamily Faboideae

It has a mostly coastal occurrence in NSW, extending up into the Blue Mountains. It grows along all coastal parts, extending into Victoria, growing disjunctly in the far north-east and then between Bairnsdale and Traralgon (as far west as Rosedale). In Queensland, it extends up the coast to Bundaberg as well as Fraser Island.

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Bossiaea kiamensis, Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea kiamensis

It is endemic to NSW, growing south from around the Bowral-Robertson area in the southern highlands of NSW, south to between Braidwood and Nelligen. 

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Bossiaea lenticularis, Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea lenticularisFabaceae subfamily Faboideae

A slender spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 1 metre with a spread to 1 metre wide.

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Bossiaea neoanglica, Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea neoanglica

It has an interesting natural occurrence in New South Wales, growing in generally two disjunct patches, on the central coast between Campbelltown / Lake Burragorang and Bundanoon in the southern highlands.

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Bossiaea obcordata, Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea obcordataSpiny Bossiaea

An erect, rigid shrub that grows to a height of 1.5 metres, usually with a narrow spread.

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Bossiaea oligosperma, Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea oligospermaFew-seeded BossiaeaFabaceae | Subfamily: Faboideae

It is known from two disjunct areas in eastern New South Wales on the central coast and southern tablelands botanical subdivisions.

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Bossiaea prostrata, Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea prostrataCreeping BossiaeaFabaceae | Subfamily: Faboideae

A prostrate shrub, best described as a groundcover, with stems to 0.2 m long and only growing to about 5 cm above ground level.

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Bossiaea rhombifolia  Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea rhombifolia

An erect, shrub with mostly glabrous stems, growing to a height of up to 2 metres, with a spread to around 1 metre or less.

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Bossiaea scolopendria Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea scolopendria

It is an erect, cladode-bearing shrub to a height of up to 1.5 metres, spreading in a clump-like fashion to 1 metre wide. It is endemic to NSW, occurring on the central and south coast botanical divisions, as far south as Sassafras (near Nowra), to around the Gosford area.

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Bossiaea stephensonii, Image Alan Fairley
Bossiaea stephensoniiFabaceae subfamily Faboideae

An erect, soft, multi-stemmed shrub, growing to a height of up to about 1 metre.

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Brachychiton acerifolius (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Brachychiton acerifoliusIllawarra Flame Tree

A large deciduous tree to 35 m in height, with a broad canopy-spread. It is found in NSW mainly in coastal areas, as far south as the Shoalhaven River (possibly extending to Batemans Bay, northwards in disjunct patches, extending into Queensland where it also has a coastal distribution up to the Cape York Peninsula.

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Image Alan Fairley
Brachychiton populneusKurrajong,

It is a common sight in NSW inland areas, occurring throughout virtually all of the western slopes and plains as well as tableland areas. It is also found in the coastal hinterland. It grows as far west as Ivanhoe. It extends into Queensland, growing as far as Cairns-region.

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Brachycome graminea, image Alan Fairley
Brachyscome gramineaStiff Daisy, Grass Daisy

Brachyscome graminea is a herbaceous daisy and groundcover, growing in open forests from coasts to alpine areas of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. In NSW, it grows mainly on the coast and tablelands.

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Brachyscome multifida
Brachyscome multifidaCut-leaf Daisy

Brachyscome multifida, the Cut-leaf Daisy, is a hardy and colourful perennial. It develops into a dense, ground covering mound reaching a height of 30 centimetres with a diameter approaching a metre. Foliage is light green. In spring and summer plants are covered with mauve-pink flowers. A great groundcover or edging plant in the garden.

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Image Alan Fairley
Breynia oblongifoliaCoffee Bush

A single to potentially multi-stemmed shrub to 3 metres tall, often with a broadening vertical spread.

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Buckinghamia celsissima, image Heather Miles
Buckinghamia celsissimaIvory Curl, Ivory Curl Flower/Tree, Spotted Silky Oak

A tree to 30 metres tall in its natural habitat. It grows in Northern Queensland, close to the coast, from south of Cooktown to west of Townsville.

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Bulbine bulbosa
Bulbine bulbosaBulbine Lily, Wild Onion, Golden Lily, Leek Lily, Yellow Onion Weed and Native Leek

Bulbine bulbosa grows throughout temperate Australia from central Queensland to Tasmania and South Australia as well as all over NSW, usually on heavier soils. It grows in a variety of habitats including dry sclerophyll woodlands and forests as well as grasslands and rock crevices. It can be found in large numbers in cleared and regenerating open grassy areas after rain.

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Bulbine semibarbarta
Bulbine semibarbata

Bulbine semibarbata is a perennial herb. Succulent leaves are up to 30 centimetres long with a channel. From September to December, plants produce multiple flowering stems up to 40 centimetres long. Each flowering stem holds up to 35 yellow blooms, with each flower up to two centimetres in diameter.

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Bulbine vagans flowers
Bulbine vagans

Bulbine vagans is a perennial herb reaching a height of 20 to 60 centimetres. The roots are thick; the long, shiny, succulent leaves have a channel down the middle and are up to 30 centimetres long. From spring to mid-summer plants produce many flowering stalks (or scapes), with each scape holding up to 45 bright yellow flowers.

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Image Alan Fairley
Burchardia umbellataMilkmaids

It has a very wide and interesting geographic range, occurring in NSW along most of the coast, extending inwards as far as the Dubbo-region, the ACT and Albury. It occurs though most of Victoria with the exception of the north-west; continuing into the Adelaide and Port-Lincoln areas, as well as Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It extends along the coast into Queensland as far as Fraser Island.

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Bursaria spinosa
Bursaria spinosaBlackthorn

Bursaria spinosa is known as the Blackthorn and also the Tasmanian and South Australian Christmas Bush because summer is the main flowering period of this prickly plant. Blackthorn develops into a medium to tall shrub with oval leaves, shiny on top and dull underneath. The branches carry large spines.

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Image by Alan Fairly
Callicoma serratifoliaBlack wattle

A tree, often seen as a large shrub, potentially growing up to 20 metres in height with a 3-metre spread, sometimes multi-stemmed. It grows naturally in New South Wales and Queensland, in near-coastal areas, as far south as Batemans Bay, and as far west as Lithgow, extending up the coast and tableland-fringes, as far north as Kroombit Tops National Park in Queensland (east of Biloela).

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Callistachys scandens (syn. Podolobium scandens), image Alan Fairley
Callistachys scandensNetted shaggy-pea

A low, spreading, prostrate and not overly vigorous groundcover-shrub, with stems up to 60 cm long. It has a mostly coastal distribution in NSW, stretching almost into the central tablelands and as far south as around Bega

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Callistemon brachyandrus
Callistemon brachyandrusMallee Bottlebrush, Prickly Bottlebrush and Prickly Mallee Bottlebrush

Callistemon brachyandrus has a number of common names including: Mallee Bottlebrush, Prickly Bottlebrush and Prickly Mallee Bottlebrush. It is usually a small to medium shrub with small prickly leaves. Young growth is softly hairy.

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Callistemon citrinus 'Endeavour', Image Heather Miles
Callistemon citrinusCrimson Bottlebrush

Callistemon citrinus syn: Melaleuca citrina produces flowers in late spring, summer and autumn with two flowerings if some moisture is provided. There are many hybrids produced using this plant as a parent. A popular cultivar is Callistemon ‘Endeavour’ which can have bright metallic red/pink inflorescences.

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Callistemon comboynensisCliff Bottlebrush

Callistemon comboynensis is known as the Cliff Bottlebrush and grows into a medium shrub reaching a height of three metres. The leaves are narrow to broad-lanceolate, leathery with numerous oil dots. New growth is pinkish. The flower spikes are red, five to nine centimetres long and between four to eight centimetres wide. The main flowering period is in summer and autumn with sporadic flowering at other times.

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Callistemon flavovirens
Callistemon flavovirensGreen Bottlebrush

Callistemon flavovirens is a spreading shrub that can reach a height of 2 metres with a similar spread. New growth is soft and has a silvery appearance. Adult leaves are dark green, narrow elliptical, up to 8 cm long and widely spaced along the branches. The greenish-yellow flower spikes are about 8 centimetres long.

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Callistemon formosus
Callistemon formosusCliff Bottlebrush, Kingaroy Bottlebrush

Callistemon formosus is known as the Cliff Bottlebrush or Kingaroy Bottlebrush. The latter common name refers to a town in southern Queensland near where the species occurs. It is a tall shrub that may reach a height of five metres with a spread of three metres and pendulous growth habit. The specimens, in our cold climate garden, are two metres tall four years after planting.

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Callistemon linearifolius, image Alan Fairley
Callistemon linearifoliusNetted bottlebrush

Callistemon linearifolius is a tall shrub to 4 m high by 3 m diameter. It grows in dry sclerophyll forest and woodlands on the NSW coast and adjacent ranges, chiefly north from Georges River, Sydney, to Nelson Bay, and occasionally further north in NSW to the Queensland border.

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Callistemon linearis, image Alan Fairley
Callistemon linearisNarrow-leaf Bottlebrush

Callistemon linearis is a shrub growing to 3 m high in forests and woodlands from central New South Wales (around Nerriga) to south-east Queensland. It grows on the coast, tablelands, western slopes and plains of NSW.

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Callistemon megalongensis, image Alan Fairley
Callistemon megalongensisMegalong Valley Bottlebrush

Callistemon megalongensis is  a shrub growing to around 4.5 m tall with soft, flaking or peeling bark. It is similar to Callistemon citrinus which occurs in the same area and is difficult to distinguish from it, except when in flower. Found in shrubby swamp communities near streams.

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Callistemon pallidus, image Alan Fairley
Callistemon pallidusLemon Bottlebrush

Callistemon pallidus has slender spreading branches growing to a height of 3 to 5 m by 2 m across. It is common on wet, rocky sites of the eastern ranges and occurs naturally in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania. In the ACT, it is a dominant species in heath on exposed mountain slopes. It grows primarily on the coast and tablelands regions of NSW.

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Callistemon phoeniceusLesser Bottlebrush

Callistemon phoeniceus is one of only two Callistemons endemic to Western Australia and is known as the Lesser Bottlebrush. The significance of this name escapes us but perhaps there was a comparison with Callistemon glaucus, the other WA bottlebrush. 

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Callistemon pinifoliusPine-leaved Bottlebrush

Callistemon pinifolius, the Pine-leaved Bottlebrush, is an open shrub that reaches a height of 1.5 metres with a similar spread in our cold climate garden. The leaves are narrow, about ten centimetres long with a sharp point. Flower spikes may be bright lime-green or red.

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Callistemon pityoides, image Alan Fairley
Callistemon pityoidesAlpine Bottlebrush

A shrub to 3 metres high and 2 metres wide. It is found at altitudes from above 2000 m down to around 900 m. It is found commonly in and around  sphagnum bogs and swamps and along watercourses in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, mainly on the coast and tablelands, often on granite or peat.

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Callistemon rigidus, image Alan Fairley
Callistemon rigidusStiff Bottlebrush

Callistemon rigidus grows to 3 m high by 2 m wide. Typically found in damp places such as sandy swamps and sandstone creeklines. It is widespread on the coast, ranges and extends into the western slopes, but is found mainly in the Sydney district. Leaves are narrow and linear to 7 cm long, and only 4 mm wide and very rigid.

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Callistemon rugulosus
Callistemon rugulosusScarlet Bottlebrush

Callistemon rugulosus is known as the Scarlet Bottlebrush and in the wild will develop into a straggly shrub up to four metres tall. In our cold climate garden annual pruning has kept this species to a compact two metres. The bark is grey and peels. The leaves are thick and rigid, up to 50 millimetres long, seven millimetres wide and crowned with a pungent point.

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Callistemon salignus
Callistemon salignusWillow Bottlebrush

Callistemon salignus is known as the Willow Bottlebrush. The species name means willowy and refers to the growth habit. Callistemon salignus is a tall shrub or small tree. The brushes are creamy-white to yellow, five centimetres long by three centimetres wide and appear in spring. Brushes are usually abundant and conspicuous. Sometimes there are sporadic blooms in autumn. 

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Callistemon serpentinus
Callistemon serpentinusWood’s Reef Bottlebrush

Callistemon serpentinus s known as the Wood’s Reef Bottlebrush and is an upright shrub that may reach a height of four metres. Our specimens are kept to a dense height of two metres by annual pruning. Yellow flower spikes are about six centimetres long and appear in late spring and early summer. Flower spikes are both prominent and conspicuous.

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Callistemon shiressii, image Alan Fairley
Callistemon shiressii

Callistemon shiressii is an uncommon shrub or small tree, to 12 m tall, occurring in and between the Singleton and Richmond localities in NSW. It grows on shale ridges in moist eucalypt forest and rainforest as well as along riverbank.

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Callistemon sieberi, image Alan Fairley
Callistemon sieberiRiver Bottlebrush

Callistemon sieberi a shrub or tree growing to 8 m tall, with fibrous bark, or hard, fissured bark on older plants. It is naturally widespread along watercourses, dried and rocky riverbeds and gullies on the coast, tablelands and western slopes and plains of NSW.

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Callistemon subulatus flower
Callistemon subulatusBottlebrush

Callistemon subulatus grows along the banks of watercourses of coastal and tableland districts, south from Sydney to Victoria. In its natural habitat, they grow from one to sometimes 3 metres high. Callistemons are closely related to Melaleucas, which also have ‘bottlebrush’ shaped flower spikes. Botanists, especially those at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra are currently closely studying these plants to determine how they are best classified.

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red flowers
Callistemon ‘Candy Pink’(cultivar)

Callistemon ‘Candy Pink’ is a medium to tall shrub that may reach a height of four metres with a spread of three metres. Plants this size tends to be rather straggly with few flowers. ’Candy Pink’ has lance shaped leaves and long, narrow flower spikes. They are pinkish-red fading to pink. There are usually several flowering flushes each year.

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Callistemon 'Firebrand'
Callistemon ‘Firebrand’(cultivar)

Callistemon ‘Firebrand’ is a low spreading, dense ground cover that reaches a height of 50 centimetres with a spread of over one metre. Adult leaves are stiff and shiny with oil dots while new growth is soft and pink. The brushes are a rich crimson-pink and appear in profusion from spring to autumn.

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Callistemon 'Hannah Ray'
Callistemon ‘Hannah Ray’(cultivar)

Callistemon ‘Hannah Ray’ is a tall shrub with pendulous branches. Leaves are narrow-lanceolate and new growth is bright pink. In late spring plants produce large, bright red brushes. Honeyeaters flock to the flowers. Remove flowers as they fade. This keeps plants dense and blooming bounteously.

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Callistemon 'Little John'
Callistemon ‘Little John’

Callistemon ‘Little John’ is an attractive dwarf, rounded shrub that reaches a height of 1 to 3 metre by 1 metre wide. The narrow leaves are an unusual blue-green and crowed along the stems. Flowering is prolific in spring and in our cold climate garden plants also bloom in autumn and winter. Honeyeaters visit the flowers. Growth habit, foliage and flowers are attractive features.

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Callistemon 'Packers Selection'
Callistemon ‘Packers Selection’(cultivar)

Callistemon Packers Selection’ is a small shrub reaching a height of 1.5 metres with pendulous growth habit. The narrow leaves are four centimetres long by four millimetres wide. The narrow leaves are four centimetres long by four millimetres wide. Brushes are nine centimetres long by three centimetres wide. They are deep red, fading as they age.

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pink flowers
Callistemon ‘Pink Champagne’

Callistemon ‘Pink Champagne’ develops into a dense, upright shrub that will reach a maximum height of three metres with a spread of two metres. The leaves are lance-shaped, grey-green, aromatic and fairly stiff. The distinctive feature of this cultivar is the large soft pink flower heads with yellow anthers. Blooms fade to white as they age.

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Callistemon Taree Pink
Callistemon ‘Taree Pink’(cultivar)

Callistemon ‘Taree Pink’ is thought to be a cultivar of C. citrinus. ‘Taree Pink’ is a medium sized shrub that will reach a height of between two to three metres with a similar spread. The flowers are bright pink, ten centimetres long, three centimetres wide and appear in profusion in mid spring. Flowering extends into summer.

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Callistemon 'Anzac'
Callistemon ‘White Anzac’

Callistemon ‘Anzac’ is a form of Callistemon citrinus collected from a wild population on Anzac Cove, southern Sydney NSW. The cultivar was registered in 1986. It is a sprawling shrub growing to a height of one metre with a maximum spread of three metres. In our cold climate garden plants seldom exceed one metre across.

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Callitris foliage
Callitris endlicheriBlack Cypress Pine

Callitris endlicheri is known as the Black Cypress Pine and reaches a maximum height of about 15 metres. The branches are erect sometimes spreading; the bark is tough and deeply furrowed. The foliage is bright green. The female cones may be solitary or several clustered together. They are egg-shaped and contain a number of sticky seeds that are coated in resin. Cones persist on the tree for a number of years.

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Showing seed pods
Callitris pyramidalisSwamp Cypress, Swan River Cypress, King George's Cypress

Callitris pyramidalis, known variously as the Swamp Cypress, Swan River Cypress and King George’s Cypress, is a tall shrub or small tree said to reach a height of eight metres. In our cold climate garden specimens reach about four metres after five years in the ground. They tend to attain a greater height with more watering. The typical Callitris foliage is dark green.

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Shows seedpods
Callitris rhomboideaPort Jackson Pine, Oyster Bay Pine

Callitris rhomboidea s known as the Port Jackson Pine or Oyster Bay Pine. The common name depends on the location of the species. The former name refers to populations in NSW whist the latter common name refers to those in Tasmania. We will stick to Port Jackson Pine because of our location. The Port Jackson Pine is a small tree that may reach a height of 15 metres. Mature trees have an attractive pyramid shape. 

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Calostemma purpureum, image Kevin Stokes
Calostemma purpureumGarland Lily

Calostemma purpureum seems to be one of those plants that gain popularity and then, for some unknown reason just stop being around, at least in the local area of Newcastle. When first starting a native garden, I recall seeing this attractive plant in other members’ gardens and also available to buy in specialist nurseries. I am pleased that I have “rediscovered” this lily and had the pleasure of many flowering heads during late summer. Commonly called Garland Lily, it belongs to the family Amaryllidaceae and is the only wholly endemic genus of that family in Australia.

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Calothamnus rupestris flower
Calothamnus rupestrisCliff Net Bush, Mouse Ears

Calothamnus rupestris is known as the Cliff Net Bush or Mouse Ears. Net Bush is the common name applied to most Calothamnus. Calothamnus rupestris is a medium, erect shrub that has reached a height of two metres with a similar spread in our cold climate garden.

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Calotis cuneifolia flowers
Calotis cuneifoliaBurr Daisy

Calotis cuneifolia is a member of the Asteraceae (Daisy) family. The genus is usually known as Burr Daisies. It is a dwarf, rounded perennial, with white or lilac daisy flower heads and small wedge-shaped leaves (cuneate, hence the species name).

ground-covers
Calytrix flower
Calytrix tetragonaFringe Myrtle

Calytrix tetragona  is the most widespread member of the genus Calytrix which has about 75 species, all endemic to Australia. This species is found in woodland and forest in eastern and southern Australia.

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Carex gaudichaudiana, image Alan Fairley
Carex gaudichaudianaTufted Sedge, Fen Sedge

Carex gaudichaudiana is a loosely-tufted sedge to 40 cm tall with creeping rhizome. It grows in wet areas (swamps and creekbanks) from near sea level to alpine areas.

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flowers
Cassinia quinquefariaCough-bush, Dead-finish, Rosemary shrub

Cassinia quinquefaria is a member of Asteraceae (Daisy) family and grows into a shrub that reaches a height of two metres with a similar spread. Cough-bush, Dead-finish and Rosemary shrub are some common names.

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Ceratopetalum apetalum  image Alan Fairley
Ceratopetalum apetalum Coachwood / Scented Satinwood / Tarwood

A tree growing up to 40 metres (often seen much smaller) with a broad-spreading crown. Sometimes multi-trunked.

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Ceratopetalum gummiferum (flowers), Image Alan Fairley
Ceratopetalum gummiferumNew South Wales Christmas BushCunoniaceae

A large shrub to tree, growing up to around 10 metres (often seen much smaller) sometimes multi-trunked.

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Ceratopetalum 'Johanna's Christmas'
Ceratopetalum ‘Johanna’s Christmas’cultivar

Ceratopetalum ‘Johanna’s Christmas’ – This cultivar is a dwarf form of Ceratopetalum gummiferum. It is a dense shrub to 1.5 m tall x 1.5 m wide. Registered with ACRA by Brian and Carol Roach of Westleigh, Sydney on 14 Jan 2004.

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Chorizema cordatum plant, image Jeff Howes
Chorizema cordatumHeart-leaf Flame Pea. (Noongar Peoples: Kaly)

Chorizema cordatum, the Heart-leaf Flame Pea, is a native of south-western Western Australia and develops into spreading shrub reaching a height of one metre. It is relatively hardy when grown in humid areas on the east coast of Australia. Leaves are heart-shaped up to six centimetres long with a leathery texture. Sprays of orange-red, pea-shaped flowers cover plants in spring.

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Chrysocephalum apiculatum
Chrysocephalum apiculatumCommon Everlasting, Yellow Buttons

Chrysocephalum apiculatum, the Common Everlasting, is a perennial herb which is found throughout Australia in a wide range of environments. Because it has such a wide distribution there is considerable variation in height, growth habit and leaf colour. The profuse yellow flowers make it a popular groundcover.

ground-covers
Cinnamomum oliveri, image Alan Fairley
Cinnamomum oliveriCamphorwood, Oliver's Sassafras, Black Sassafras and Cinnamon Wood

Cinnamomum oliveri – A rainforest tree growing to 30 m tall at the eastern coastal parts of Australia. It grows from the Illawarra district in New South Wales to Cape York Peninsula at the northern tip of Australia.

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Cissus antarctica, image Alan Fairley
Cissus antarcticaKangaroo Vine; Water Vine; Vine, Water; Vine

Cissus antarctica – A vigorous vine, endemic to Australia, occurs in north-east Queensland and central-east Queensland and southwards as far as south-eastern New South Wales. In NSW, it grows along the coast mainly but extends into the tablelands and central western slopes.

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Cissus hypoglauca, image Alan Fairley
Cissus hypoglaucaWater Vine, Native Grape

Cissus hypoglauca – A vigorous common vine, found along almost the entire east coast of NSW, from south of Townsville to eastern Victoria, growing in warmer rainforest but also found in littoral rainforest near beaches and wet sclerophyll forest.

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Citronella moorei, image Alan Fairley
Citronella mooreiChurnwood, Citronella, Soapy Box, Silky Beech and Corduroy

Citronella moorei – A large tree to 40 m tall. Easily identified in the rainforest by the extraordinary twisting and crooked trunk.

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Finger limes on tree, image Ralph Cartwright
Citrus australasicaFinger lime

Citrus australasica, finger lime, seems to me to be pretty easy to grow. Mine is now about 5 years old, and has been flowering and bearing fruit for the last three years. I would guess that it is a grafted specimen, although it doesn’t say that on the label. 

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Claoxylon australe, image Alan Fairley
Claoxylon australeBrittlewood

Claoxylon australe – A shrub or small tree growing to 9 metres in height with a trunk diameter of 30 cm. Grows in all types of eastern Australian rainforests. The natural range is from Eden in south eastern New South Wales to Bowen in tropical Queensland.

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Clematis aristata flowers, image Alan Fairley
Clematis aristataAustralian Clematis, Wild Clematis, Goat's Beard or Old Man's Beard,

Clematis aristata – A vigorous woody climber growing to 6 m high or more in dry and wet forests of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. It has been recorded in Western Australia, but there is doubt about the accuracy of this record.

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Clematis glycinoides
Clematis glycinoidesHeadache Vine

Clematis glycinoides is a member of the Ranunculaceae family and is a medium to large climber. Clematis are dioecious, the male and female flowers are carried on different plants. Flowers are three centimetres across, white or greenish and starry. They cover plants in spring.

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Clematis microphylla
Clematis microphyllaSmall-leaved Clematis

Clematis microphylla is a member of the Ranunculaceae family and is a vigorous climber. Clematis are dioecious, the male and female flowers are carried on different plants. The flowers are up to four centimetres across, greenish-cream and cover the climber from August to November

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Clerodendron tomentosum, image Heather Miles
Clerodendrum tomentosumHairy Clerodendrum; Lolly Bush; Flowers of Magic; Downy Chance Tree; Witches Tongues. Informal name: “Hairy Clary”

Clerodendrum tomentosum – A small tree, growing up to 10 m tall with a trunk diameter of 0.25 m, (though usually much smaller), from Batemans Bay in southern coastal New South Wales, extending mainly along the coast with some incursions into the central western slopes, into Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, and New Guinea.

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Commersonia salviifolia
Commersonia salviifolia

Commersonia salviifolia is a member of the Malvaceae family. It is a medium, spreading shrub. Leaves are up to 12 centimetres long, two centimetres wide, mid green above with a dense covering of white hairs beneath. Juvenile growth is white-hairy beneath.

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Conostylis aculeata flowers
Conostylis aculeataPrickly conostylis

The Conostylis genus is endemic to Western Australia and is found mostly in the south west corner of that state where they generally grow in well drained sandy soil. There are some 45 species and are all perennial, tufted herbs and are closely related to the Kangaroo Paws. It is a very adaptable plant and a great ground cover.

ground-covers
Cordyline stricta, image Alan Fairley
Cordyline strictaNarrow-leaved Palm-lily

Cordyline stricta is a tall, narrow herbaceous lily-plant to potentially 5 metres tall. North from near Bilpin, NSW, it grows chiefly along the coastal subdivisions into North QLD. Mainly found in wet sclerophyll forest and rainforests.

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Coronidium elatum
Coronidium elatumWhite Everlasting Daisy

Coronidium elatum is a perennial that may reach a height of two metres. Both stems and leaves are covered with white hairs, giving plants a woolly appearance. Leaves are lanceolate and up to ten centimetres long. Papery white flower-heads up to four centimetres across appear in spring.

ground-covers
Correa alba flower
Correa albaWhite Correa

Correa alba is a rounded, dense shrub, growing to a heaight of about 2 metres by up to 1 metre wide. It has a purely coastal occurrence in NSW, growing very close to or on the beach or rocky headlands, south from Port Stephens, in patchy occurrences south along the coast. It has a patchy distribution along most of the Victorian coast and it is found along the north and east coasts of Tasmania as well as the islands of Bass Strait. It also grows along the South Australian coast from Mt. Gambier to Adelaide and Kangaroo Island. 

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Correa baeuerlenii
Correa baeuerleniiChef’s Cap Correa

Correa baeuerlenii, the Chef’s Cap Correa, is a dense, rounded shrub reaching a height of two metres. We lightly prune our specimens and keep them to a dense 1.5 metres. Leaves are narrowly ovate, up to seven centimetres long, glossy, with prominent glands on each surface and slightly aromatic when crushed. Tubular flowers are greenish yellow, about three centimetres long, solitary and pendulous.

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Correa glabra greenish flower
Correa glabraRock Correa

Correa glabra is a tall shrub, endemic to Australia (NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia) with attractive, quite vibrant elliptic leaves, 1 to 4 cm long and 5 to 17 mm wide. They will grow in a variety of soil types as long as the soil is well drained. They are very ‘prune-able’ and shoot from old wood.

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Correa lawrenciana var rosea
Correa lawrenceana var. roseaMountain Correa

Correa lawrenceana var. rosea is a tall shrub that will reach a height of 3-4 metres. Dark green, narrow leaves are up to 60 millimetres long, shiny with a leathery texture above and hairy beneath. Tubular flowers are red, narrow and up to 20 millimetres long. Blooms appear in autumn and winter and help to light up our cold climate garden in these cooler months.

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Correa reflexa
Correa reflexa

Correa reflexa is a species that occurs in every state except Western Australia. Growth habit, foliage shape and flower colour all differ dramatically across the range of this species. Perhaps in the future these differences will provide fertile ground for a botanist to split Correa reflexa into many new species.

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Correa 'Autumn Blaze'
Correa ‘Autumn Blaze’

Correa ‘Autumn Blaze’ is a form of Correa pulchella selected in the wild from a population on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. It is small and compact, growing to a height of about 30 centimetres with a spread of 1.5 metres. Leaves are glossy, mid-green above and paler beneath. The orange flowers are the outstanding feature of this cultivar.

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Correa 'Cardinal Bells'
Correa ‘Cardinal Bells’(cultivar)

Correa ‘Cardinal Bells’ is a compact shrub reaching a height of one metre. The foliage is bright green. The eye-catching, large, tubular flowers are orange/red and appear in large numbers in the cooler months. As with all the Correas the flowers, of this cultivar, are rich in nectar consequently the blooms are a magnet for honeyeaters.

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Correa 'Coliban River'
Correa ‘Coliban River’(cultivar)

Correa ‘Coliban River’ is a dense shrub that, in our garden, reaches a maximum height of two metres. Narrow leaves are three centimetres long, glossy on top and paler below. Tubular flowers are two centimetres long, yellowish green with flared tips. The main flowering period extends from autumn through winter with sporadic flowering at other times. In autumn and winter our plants are covered in blooms for months.

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Corymbia citriodora, image Jeff Howes
Corymbia citriodoraLemon-Scented Gum

Corymbia citriodora – An erect tree to a height of 50 metres, forming a lignotuber.

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Corymbia eximia (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Corymbia eximiaYellow Bloodwood

Corymbia eximia – A tree growing to 20 m tall, forming a lignotuber. It is endemic to New South Wales, occurring from west of Nowra on the south coast, north through the lower parts of the Blue Mountains to the Hunter Valley which is it northern limit.

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Corymbia ficifolia, image Heather Miles
Corymbia ficifoliaRed Flowering Gum

Corymbia ficifolia – A tree restricted to the south-west of WA where it grows to a typical height of 10 metres, forming a lignotuber. It is generally found in the Walpole-Mt Frankland region (west of Albany) with some smaller populations to the east.

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Corymbia gummifera, image Alan Fairley
Corymbia gummiferaRed Bloodwood

Corymbia gummifera – A very common tree growing to 30 m tall, forming a lignotuber. It sometimes exists as a mallee and smaller tree on ridgetops.

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flowers
Corymbia maculataSpotted Gum

Corymbia maculata, the Spotted Gum, is a medium to tall tree usually with a solitary trunk.The bark is smooth, cream to dark grey or bluish and has a spotted or blotched appearance. Leaves are lance-like, dark green and rather shiny on both surfaces with prominent venation. The flowers are white, fragrant and carried in clusters of three to five. Prolific flowering occurs between May and September. 

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Crassula helmsii
Crassula helmsiiSwamp Stonecrop

Crassula helmsii, the Swamp Stonecrop, is an aquatic or bog plant. Plants may creep or float depending on the depth of water. Stems will reach a length of 30 centimetres. Small leaves are succulent, linear, and green or reddish in colour. Small white flowers are carried in the upper leaf axils. Flowering is prolific in spring.

other
Crinum pedunculatum, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Crinum pedunculatumSwamp Lily, River Lily

Crinum pedunculatum is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family in company with the exotic Narcissus and Nerine. The accepted common names are Swamp or River Lily. Crinum pedunculatus grows in colonies along tidal areas and streams. The species is evergreen, hardy and resists frost.

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Crowea saligna, image Alan Fairley
Crowea salignaWillow-leaved Crowea

Crowea saligna has a restricted distribution in the Greater Sydney basin, from Woy Woy in the north to Yerrinbool in the south and west to the Blue Mountains. It is typically found in sandstone heaths, shrub lands and dry sclerophyll woodlands and forests.

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Crowea 'Festival' close up
Crowea ‘Festival’(cultivar)

Crowea ‘Festival’ is a hybrid between Crowea exalata and Crowea saligna and was a chance seedling in the garden of past Australian Plant Society members, Arthur and Irene Cooper. I have been growing Crowea ‘Festival’ for many years in my garden in the northern Sydney suburb of Westleigh.

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Crowea 'Poorinda Ecstasy'
Crowea ‘Poorinda Ecstasy’(cultivar)

Crowea ‘Poorinda Ecstasy’ is a hybrid whose parents are thought to be Crowea saligna and a form of Crowea exalata. The former parent may have been a form of C. saligna from the Central Coast of New South Wales. The latter parent comes from northern Victoria.

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Cyanothamnus anemonifoliis syn. Boronia anemonifolia, image Alan Fairley
Cyanothamnus anemonifoliusNarrow-leaved Boronia, Sticky Boronia

A shrub growing to 2.5 metres tall, often much smaller, and it can spread to more than 1 metre wide.

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Cyanothamnus nana var hyssopifolia, image Alan Fairley
Cyanothamnus nanus var. hyssopifoliusDwarf Boronia

A shrub to 0.3 metres high, erect or sprawling to prostrate. It is found as far north as Mt Wilson west of Sydney, growing south-south-west from here mostly in the tablelands regions

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Cyanothamnus quadrangulus, formerly Boronia anethifolia, image Alan Fairley
Cyanothamnus quadrangulusNarrow-leaved Boronia

A small shrub growing to 1 metre tall by up to 1 metre wide with square / 4-angled branches.

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Cyanothamnus rigens, image Alan Fairley
Cyanothamnus rigensStiff Boronia

A compact rigid shrub that grows to a height of 40 cm. It has a natural distribution from the Hunter Valley (near Singleton) and Kandos (Mt Coricudgy) area…

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Cyathea australis (plant), image Alan Fairley
Cyathea australisRough Tree Fern

Cyathea australis is an arboreal tree-fern growing to potentially 20 m tall. It is known as the Rough Tree Fern due to the presence of shield-like plates (bases of old fronds), tubercles (knobbly bits) and masses of hair-like scales on its ‘trunk’.

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Cyathea cooperi, image Heather Miles
Cyathea cooperiLacy tree fern, Australian tree fern

Cyathea cooperi is a great, beautiful looking ornamental background or feature plant which grows best in high humidity and high soil moisture conditions. Use good quality mulches and top them up regularly as this will keep the soil moist and also provide nutrients to the shallow root system. Grow in a shady position with some protection from hot western sun for it to look its best. Responds well to small amounts of organic fertiliser.

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Cymbidium suave flowers, image Alan Fairley
Cymbidium suaveSnake Orchid or Grassy Boat-lip Orchid

Cymbidium suave is a leafy clumping orchid which sometimes resembles a Lomandra. It is usually seen growing in eucalypt trees as an epiphyte. It is about 0.5 m tall by 0.5 m or more wide and has attractive yellow scented flowers in spring and summer.

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Dampiera purpurea, image Alan Fairley
Dampiera purpureaMountain Dampiera or Purple Dampiera

Dampiera purpurea is widespread in open eucalypt woodland in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland in eastern Australia. A small perennial suckering shrub that reaches 1 to 1.5 metres high and can spread to 2 metres across. It has erect angular woody stems that are sparsely branched and densely hairy. Leaves are 1–6 cm long, 0.5–2.5 cm wide.

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Dampiera stricta
Dampiera stricta

Dampiera stricta is a dwarf, suckering perennial reaching a height of 60 centimetres with a spread of up to one metre. The leaves may be up to 6 centimetres long, two centimetres wide, linear to elliptic in shape and may have a few coarse teeth. The flowers are nearly three centimetres across, sky-blue to deep mauve-blue.

ground-covers
Darwinia citriodora flower
Darwinia citriodoraLemon-scented Myrtle

Darwinia citriodora, the Lemon-scented Myrtle, is a native of Western Australia and grows to about 1.5 metres tall with a similar spread, forming a compact, rounded shrub. The attractive leaves are rich green, 6 mm to 12 mm long, colouring during winter with traces of purple-red.

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Daviesia acicularis,
image Alan Fairley
Daviesia acicularisSharp Bitter-pea

A small and wiry shrub, typically to 1 metre high with an erect narrow habit.

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Daviesia alata

Generally, a low-lying or prostrate almost herbaceous-shrub to 1 metre tall and spreads to 1 metre wide in a clump-formation, consisting of winged stems with small scale leaves.

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Daviesia corymbosa,
image Dan Clarke
Daviesia corymbosa

A shrub reaching 2 metres tall with a 1-metre spread; generally, with an open-habitand multi-stemmed.

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Daviesia genistifolia, image Alan Fairley
Daviesia genistifoliaBroom Bitter-pea

A typically low and multi-stemmed shrub, often growing to about 0.6 metres tall but potentially reaching 2 metres, spreading to about 1 metre wide – very rigid and prickly.

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Daviesia latifolia
Daviesia latifoliaHop Bitter-pea

Daviesia latifolia, the Hop Bitter-pea, is a medium, upright shrub that may reach a height of three metres. The large, leathery leaves are up to ten centimetres long, three centimetres wide with a network of veins and slightly twisted. 

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Daviesia leptophylla, image Alan Fairley
Daviesia leptophyllaNarrow-leaf Bitter-pea

A flexible, erect and “light” shrub, often multi-stemmed shrub, growing to a height of about 2 metres with a 1 metre spread. It has an overall “broom-like” habit.

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Daviesia mimosoides, image Alan Fairley
Daviesia mimosoidesBlunt-leaf Bitter-pea, Narrow-leaf Bitter-pea or Leafy Bitter-pea

A multi-stemmed shrub, typically to 2 m high by 1 metre wide (in rare cases it can reach 5 metres).

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Daviesia squarrosa, image Alan Fairley
Daviesia squarrosa

A slender, and often small shrub, growing potentially to 1.5 metres with a spread to a metre or more, often with several arching stems.

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Daviesia ulicifolia,
image Alan Fairley
Daviesia ulicifoliaGorse Bitter-pea

A rigid, openly-branched shrub potentially growing to a height of up to 2 or 3 metres with a rounded spread to 2 or so meters (often seen smaller) – with prickly-spiny branchlets. It has a divaricate habit – where successive branches are orientated and widely different angles from previous branches – resulting in a tightly interlaced and dense shrub.

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Dianella caerulea
Dianella caerulea ‘King Alfred’

Dianella caerulea is an attractive upright plant with flax-like leaves to 60 cms high. Flowers are blue with yellow anthers and are borne on spikes to one metre high and are followed by globular bright blue-purple fruit. It grows from coast to the mountains along Eastern Australia. This species has many named varieties and this article is about ‘John 316’ King Alfred. Other varieties are ‘Cassa Blue’ and ‘Little Jess’ to name a few.

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Dianella congesta, image Alan Fairley
Dianella congestaFlax Lily / Beach Flax Lily

Dianella congesta is a clumping lily-herb with rhizomes to 20 cm long, forming mats, usually with inflorescences within the foliage, rising to about 1 metre tall.

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Dianella longifolia, image Alan Fairley
Dianella longifoliaBlueberry Lily, Pale Flax Lily, Smooth Flax Lily, Blue Flax Lily

A clumping lily-herb with basal laves on compressed rhizomes to 10 cm long, with inflorescences to 1.5 metres tall.

grasses-and-clumping
Dianella prunina, image Alan Fairley
Dianella pruninaFlax Lily / Native Flax

A rhizomatous lily-herb, forming leaves on elevated stems (tufted) with inflorescences to 2 metres tall.

grasses-and-clumping
Dianella revoluta (flower), image Alan Fairley
Dianella revolutaBlue-Flax Lily, Blueberry Lily

A clumping, perennial herb with rhizomes to 15 cm long, producing clumps of basal leaves.

grasses-and-clumping
Dichondra repens. Image Alan Fairley
Dichondra repensKidney weed

It has a widespread natural distribution, occurring commonly through the entirety of the coastal subdivisions of NSW, as well as commonly in the tablelands and western slopes, extending to the south-western plains. It spreads up the coast and inland through Queensland, to Cairns. It occurs over most of Victoria and Tasmania and to the Adelaide and Port Lincoln-Kangaroo Island areas in South Australia as well as a long way north of here. It also occurs on the south and west coast of Western Australia, from Perth around to around Codingup.

ground-covers
Dillwynia acicularis, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia acicularisParrot-pea

An erect shrub that grows to a height of 1 to 3 metres with hairy stems. It typically grows in forests on sandstone or granite in the Greater Sydney region in NSW

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Dillwynia brunioides, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia brunioidesSandstone Parrot-pea

An erect shrub growing to 1 metre tall, with silky-hairy stems. It naturally occurs in the Greater Sydney Area in NSW

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Dillwynia elegans, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia elegansParrot-pea, Eggs and Bacon

An erect and bushy shrub growing to a height of 3 metres with hairy young stems which become glabrous as they age. It is naturally confined to the Greater Sydney area, extending to Wollemi National Park/Budden-area…

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Dillwynia floribunda, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia floribundaFlowery parrot-pea, Showy parrot-pea

An erect shrub growing to 2.5 metres high with hairy stems. It has a scattered and large natural distribution, with high concentrations of records in the Greater Sydney area in NSW

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Dillwynia glaberrima, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia glaberrimaSmooth parrot-pea

A spreading or erect shrub which grows to 2 metres high and 1 metre wide, usually with hairless stems. It has a mainly coastal occurrence in NSW, growing close to the coast and inland, in disjunct patches, as far west as Wollemi National Park towards the Hunter Valley (north-west of Sydney / west of Newcastle).

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Dillwynia juniperina, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia juniperinaPrickly parrot-pea, Juniper Pea-Bush

An erect, spreading, prickly shrub to a height of 2 metres, with hairy stems (short and tight hairs). It has a scattered distribution, mainly on the tablelands areas of NSW with some disjunctions; from Armidale north to the Queensland border with some records in southern-inland Queensland

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Dillwynia parvifolia, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia parvifolia

A spreading to erect shrub, growing to a height of 1 metre, spreading to 1 metre wide, with tiny hairs on the stems. It grows primarily in the Greater Sydney area, from Berowra in the north to Bowral in the south

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Dillwynia phylicoides, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia phylicoides

An erect to open shrub, to 2 metres tall with stiff, spreading hairs on the stems. In NSW, it grows predominantly on the tablelands, extending into the western slopes and slightly into the coastal areas.

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Dillwynia ramosissima, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia ramosissima

A low-lying to erect shrub that typically grows to 1.5 metres (often smaller) with glabrous and often spiny stems. It grows naturally in New South Wales, south from around Merriwa, through Kandos and Lithgow…

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Dillwynia retorta, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia retortaEggs And Bacon or Twisted Parrot Pea

A usually upright shrub to 3 metres high (prostrate in some habitats), spreading to over 1 metre wide, with stems covered in short hairs. It is a recognised species-complex with a range of forms

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Dillwynia sericea subsp. rudis, image Dan Clarke
Dillwynia sericeaShowy parrot-pea

An erect to low-lying, heath-like shrub to a height of 1.5 metres, with stiff branches that are hairy, especially when young. It has a large range over the approximate eastern half of NSW,..

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Dillwynia sieberi, image Dan Clarke
Dillwynia sieberiPrickly Parrot-pea, Sieber's Parrot-pea

An erect shrub to a height of 2 metres, spreading to 1 metre wide, with flattened hairs on the stems. It has an occurrence mainly in NSW, in some disjunct patches, growing in the greater Sydney area (usually on clay soils), to as far south as Goulburn-Bungonia and east to Nowra

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Dillwynia tenuifolia, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia tenuifolia

An erect shrub to a height of about 1 metre, spreading to over 0.5 metres wide, with stems covered with shortly-curved hairs. It mainly occurs in the Sydney area, on the Cumberland Plain but also further afield.

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Dillwynia trichopoda, image Alan Fairley
Dillwynia trichopoda

A prostrate to spreading shrub to 1 metre tall, to less than 1 metre wide, with stems with small hairs. It occurs naturally in NSW and Qld; growing on the coast of NSW as far south as the Clyde River…

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Diospyros australis (fruit), Image Alan Fairley
Diospyros australisBlack Plum / Yellow Persimmon

A medium-sized tree, reaching 20 or less with a canopy spread of several metres and a trunk diameter of 25 cm. It is often seen as a shrub in rainforest environments.

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Dipodium punctatum, image Alan Fairley
Dipodium punctatumHyacinth Orchid

Dipodium punctatum, the Hyacinth Orchid is a leafless, terrestrial orchid. Usually one or two spikes carry up to 50 deep purplish-red hyacinth-like flowers. The photo shows an exceptional flowering with eight spikes growing close together. Summer is the peak flowering season.

other
Dodonaea boroniifolia
Dodonaea boroniifoliaFern-leaf Hop Bush

Dodonaea boroniifolia has both interesting foliage and colourful capsules. Reaching a height of 2-3 metres this species has pinnate leaves. The leaflets are dark green, sticky with lobed apex. Flowering extends from May to December. The 4-winged capsules that appear after flowering are an eye-catching purplish-red. The dark green foliage contrasts with the capsules.

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Dodonaea viscosa ssp angustifolia, image Alan Fairley
Dodonaea viscosaSticky Hop Bush

Dodonaea viscosa, the Sticky Hop Bush, is a tall multi-stemmed shrub reaching a height of four metres. The leaves are linear, sticky with a margin that may be entire, slightly wavy and slightly toothed. It was used by Aboriginal people to treat toothache, cuts and stingray stings. Dodonaeas were also used by early settlers to make beer (hence the common name).

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Doodia aspera (new growth), image Alan Fairley
Doodia aspera Prickly Rasp Fern

A ground-covering fern with fronds emerging from stolons, to about 50 cm tall, forming extensive “carpets” to many metres wide.

ferns
Doryanthes excelsa, image Heather Miles
Doryanthes excelsaGiant Lily, Flame Lily, Spear Lily, Illawarra Lily, Gymea Lily

Doryanthes excelsa, the Gymea Lily, is a hardy, clumping monocot with fibrous sword-like leaves which grow up to 1.5 m long and 10 to 12 cm wide. It grows from a thickened underground stem which penetrates deep into the ground to protect against drought and fire, so does best in deep soil.

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Doryanthes palmeri, image Heather Miles
Doryanthes palmeriGiant Spear Lily

Doryanthes palmeri, the Giant Spear Lily, has long wide sword-like leaves in rosettes. These arise from ground level and produce numerous suckers to form a large dense clump. Leaves are 2 to 3 m long. It normally flowers in spring. Its flower stalk is very long (up to 4 m) and is different from Doryanthes excelsa in that the stalk droops rather than being upright and the flowers are spread further down the stem.

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Doryphora sassafras. Image Alan Fairley
Doryphora sassafrasSassafras, Yellow-, Canary- or Golden Sassafras or Golden DealAtherospermataceae

It has a mostly coastal distribution in NSW, extending into the central and northern tablelands, north from around Bega, Widespread on the coast and ranges north from the Bega district. It just extends into Queensland to the Gold Coast and Gold Coast Hinterland towards Warwick.

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Drosera hookeri
Drosera hookeriSundew

Drosera hookeri, in common with all Sundews, is a carnivorous plant that traps insects on specialised hairs carried on the margins and upper surface of the leaves. The hairs are known as tentacles. The soluble parts of the prey are absorbed by enzymes released by the tentacles.

other
Pink flowers
Elaeocarpus reticulatusBlueberry Ash

Elaeocarpus reticulatus should be growing in everyone’s garden! This is a popular, fast growing plant that has been in cultivation for well of 70 years. The common name is Blueberry Ash, because it produces many small bright blue berries about one centimetre in diameter after flowering.

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Emmenosperma alphitonioides (tree), Image Alan Fairley
Emmenosperma alphitonioidesYellow Ash or Bonewood

It has a mostly coastal distribution in NSW, growing from as far south as north-west of and, in vicinity to, Batemans Bay (Clyde River), northwards to the Queensland border, extending as far west as Barrington National Park and the Lower Blue Mountains. It extends into Queensland, mostly continuously to Gympie; then with a large disjunction to west of Mackay and more disjunction around the greater Cairns area and then further north to the Cape York Peninsula. It is also found in the Northern Territory in Kakadu National Park.

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Epacris longiflora, image Heather Miles
Epacris longifloraFuchsia Heath, Native Fuchsia, Scarlet Epacris or Cigarette Flower

Epacris longiflora is an erect to spreading shrub, to 2 m high; stems with prominent short broad leaf scars; leaves ovate to about 2 cm long, and 7 mm wide, with a sharp narrowing point; mid to dark green in colour. Flowers extending down branches, produced within the leaves.

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Epacris microphylla, image Alan Fairley
Epacris microphyllaCoral heath

Epacris microphylla is an attractive and hardy plant to 1 m when grown in well-drained soil. It needs a consistently moist but not over wet soil. Prune after flowering to keep compact and promote flowering and mulch around the base to help retain soil moisture. A good container plant.

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Epacris pulchella, image Alan Fairley
Epacris pulchellaCoral Heath, Wallum Heath

Epacris pulchella is a slender erect shrub to 1.5 m high but usually shorter, it grows in scrub, heath and dry sclerophyll forest on sandy soils. Its range is on coast and tablelands, north from Conjola and Ettrema Creek into SE Queensland.

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Eremophila bignoniiflora
Eremophila bignoniifloraCreek Wilga / Bignonia Emu Bush / Eurah

Eremophila bignoniiflora is a spreading, weeping shrub that may reach a height of five metres by almost the same width. The branches are smooth and sticky. Leaves are light green, long and strap-like. The flowers are large, tubular and usually cream with purple spots in the throat.

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Eremophila calorhabdos
Eremophila calorhabdosRed Rod

Eremophila calorhabdos, Red Rod is a two metre high shrub with upright growth habit. Before opening buds are orange-yellow then change to carmine when the flowers open. They are carried at the base of the leaves and appear from winter to summer. Honeyeaters visit the blooms. This is a beautiful emu bush with its columns of flowers. The visual impact of native cottage gardens and rockeries would benefit from the inclusion of a couple of Red Rods.

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Eremophila debilis, the winter apple
Eremophila debilisWinter Apple

Eremophila debilis, Winter Apple, is a ground cover with a spread of about one metre. Leaves are bright green and tend to curve upwards, with a succulent feel. Five-petalled flowers are white, tinged with lilac and appear in spring and summer. Blooms are followed by small, fleshy fruits that turn purple when ripe and look like miniature apples, hence the common name.

ground-covers
Eremophila decipiens
Eremophila decipiensSlender Emu Bush / Slender Fushcia

Eremophila decipiens, Slender Emu Bush, is a small shrub that reaches a height of one metre. Flowers are typically tubular with four upper lobes and one lower. Blooms are bright red, profuse and appear from April to November.

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Eremophila densifolia
Eremophila densifoliaDense-leaved Eremophila

Eremophila densifolia is a mounded ground cover reaching a height of 60 centimetres with a spread of 1.5 metres. The narrow leaves are closely spaced (hence the species name) and have serrated margins. Leaf colour is variable and may be bright green or grey with a purplish tinge. Flowers are tubular, 12 millimetres long, purple, violet or blue. They form clusters close to the ends of the branches.

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Eremophila denticulata
Eremophila denticulataFitzgerald Emu Bush or Toothed Eremophila

Eremophila denticulata is known as the Fitzgerald Emu Bush or Toothed Eremophila. The former name refers to the Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia, where this rare species occurs. Eremophila denticulata will grow into a shrub from 1 to 3 metres tall.

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Eremophila glabra Kalbarri Carpet, image Heather Miles
Eremophila glabra ‘Kalbarri Carpet’

Eremophila glabra ‘Kalbarri Carpet’ develops into a dense ground cover spreading over two metres. Foliage is soft and silvery-grey. The tubular flowers are yellow, rich in nectar and form a ring around the stems at the base of each leaf. Blooms are profuse, conspicuous and appear in spring and summer. The leaves and flowers form a stunning living carpet.

ground-covers
Eremophila laanii
Eremophila laanii

Eremophila laanii is a medium to tall shrub that may reach a height of four metres. Leaves have a succulent feel and are narrow, flat with a pointed tip. Flowers are white, cream or pink and two centimetres long. They are conspicuous and extremely profuse during the flowering period which extends from August to January.

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Eremophila microtheca
Eremophila microtheca

Eremophila microtheca is a small, compact shrub reaching a height of 1.5 metres with a similar spread. Leaves are fine, narrow, hairy when young and becoming hairless with age. Foliage gives off an odour, when crushed, which may be objectionable to some gardeners.

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Eremophila polyclada
Eremophila polycladaFlowering Lignum

Eremophila polyclada, the Flowering Lignum, grows in inland areas of all mainland Australian states except Western Australia. This species is a tangled, spreading shrub that reaches a height of three metres in our cold climate garden

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Eremophila ‘Beryl's Blue’
Eremophila ‘Beryl’s Blue’

Eremophila ‘Beryl’s Blue’ is an outstanding shrub. The foliage shines like a beacon in the garden and the flowers add to the effect. Occasional tip pruning will improve foliage density. Both foliage and flowers are attractive features.

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Eremophila 'Summertime Blue'
Eremophila ‘Summertime Blue’

Eremophila ‘Summertime Blue’ is a naturally occurring hybrid whose parents are Eremophila divaricata and Eremophila polyclada. The hybrid originated in northwest Victoria on the floodplains of the Murray River.

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Eremophila 'Thundercloud'
Eremophila ‘Thundercloud’

Eremophila ‘Thundercloud’ is one of the many cultivars of Eremophila maculata. “Thundercloud” has been available, from nurseries, since about 2010. Eremophila ‘Thundercloud’ is a small to medium shrub that in our cold climate garden reaches a height of 1.5 metres.

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Eriostemon australasius (white), image Alan Fairley
Eriostemon australasiusPink Wax-flower

Eriostemon australasius grows in heathland and dry eucalyptus woodlands from Lake Conjola on the New South Wales south coast, northwards, mainly along the coast, to Fraser Island in Queensland. It is a very desirable plant for the garden but results in cultivation are mixed.

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Eryngium ovinum
Eryngium ovinumBlue Devil

Eryngium ovinum is known as the Blue Devil and is in the Apiaceae family in company with flannel flowers and the carrot. It is a perennial herb, which dies down during autumn and emerges in late winter to flower in summer. Blooms last for many weeks and are an impressive sight with their bright and unusual blue colour.

ground-covers
showing flowers
Eucalyptus albensWhite Box

Eucalyptus albens, the White Box, will develop into a medium to tall tree. The trunk is short and straight. The crown is rounded to spreading. Bark is persistent, light grey to whitish with bleached patches. Branches are smooth and white. Leaves are oval to lance-like and are grey to bluish-green on both surfaces. The buds are carried in clusters of three to seven and are spindle-shaped.

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Showing flowers
Eucalyptus apiculataNarrow-leaved Mallee Ash

Eucalyptus apiculata, the Narrow-leaved Mallee Ash, is a small tree that will reach a height of six metres. In the wild, probably due to bushfires, plants may develop a multi-stemmed (mallee) growth habit. Cultivated specimens usually make do with a single trunk. Bark is smooth, white or grey-green and shed in strips.

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Seed capsules
Eucalyptus badjensisBig Badja Gum

Eucalyptus badjensis, Big Badja Gum, will reach a height of at least 20 metres. The solitary trunk has persistent rough bark on the lower level. Upper parts are smooth, white, green or grey. Leaves are 20 centimetres long, 1.5 centimetres wide, lance-like and leathery.

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Eucalyptus baeuerlenii, Warren and Gloria Sheather
Eucalyptus baeuerleniiBaeuerlen’s Gum

Eucalyptus baeuerlenii, Baeuerlen’s Gum, is a small to medium tree. In the wild plants usually have multiple trunks (mallee growth habit) due to the influence of bushfires. In cultivation plants usually restrict themselves to a single trunk.

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Flowers
Eucalyptus bolivianaBolivia Hill Stringybark

Eucalyptus boliviana is known as the Bolivia Hill Stringybark and develops into either a single-trunked tree reaching a height of about 12 metres or a five metre, multi-stemmed mallee. This mallee growth habit is probably triggered by bushfires and occurs in the wild. Cultivated plants will usually have a single trunk as does the specimen in our cold climate garden.

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Eucalyptus caesia
Eucalyptus caesiaGungurru

Eucalyptus caesia is commonly known as Gungurru. This Western Australian native is a small tree that may reach a height of nine metres if a single trunk develops. If the tree develops a mallee growth habit with multiple trunks then the height may be restricted to six metres. Our tree has a single trunk and is close to nine metres tall.

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Leaves
Eucalyptus crenulataBuxton Gum

Eucalyptus crenulata, Buxton Gum or Silver Gum, is a medium-sized tree that will reach a height of 12 metres. Leaves are small, toothed, greenish-grey and used in cut flower arrangements. The foliage provides a contrast with other foliage in the garden. Leaf-eating insects such as scarabs seem to leave the foliage of the Buxton Gum alone.

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Seed capsules
Eucalyptus curtisiiPlunkett Mallee

Eucalyptus curtisii, Plunkett Mallee, is a small tree that reaches a height of six metres. The bark is smooth, leaden grey to greenish-white and is shed in thin strips. Club-shaped buds are carried in large clusters. White, showy flowers appear in spring and early summer. Fruits are bell-shaped.

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Eucalyptus cypellocarpa (tree), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus cypellocarpaMonkey Gum / Mountain Gum / Mountain Grey Gum

Eucalyptus cypellocarpa – Potentially a very tall tree, reaching 50, to even 65 metres, in some habitats, forming a lignotuber. It has a sturdy straight trunk with mostly smooth bark with shades of white, grey and yellow, which sheds in long ribbons.

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Eucalyptus fastigata, image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus fastigataBrown Barrel

Eucalyptus fastigata – Potentially a very tall tree, reaching 50 metres in some habitats. It has a sturdy straight trunk with fibrous-stringybark at the base, but does not form a lignotuber.

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Eucalyptus fracta, image Mark Abell
Eucalyptus fractaBroken Back Ironbark

Eucalyptus fracta is a small tree (to 8 m) or a mallee. It has grey-black ironbark on its trunk and larger branches with smooth whitish bark on smaller branches.

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Flowers and seed pods
Eucalyptus gilliiSilver Mallee / Curly Mallee

Eucalyptus gillii has various common names including Silver Mallee and Curly Mallee.  Eucalyptus gillii is a small tree reaching a height of eight metres. Bark is smooth over most of the trunk with persistent flaky bark at the base. Leaves are lanceolate to broadly egg or heart shaped. They may be green, grey-green or blue-grey.

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Eucalyptus gregsoniana, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Eucalyptus gregsonianaWolgan Snow Gum

Eucalyptus gregsoniana, Wolgan Snow Gum is a tall shrub or small tree reaching a height of six metres. In the wild plants often develop mallee growth habit with multiple trunks. Cultivated specimens usually confine themselves to a single trunk. The bark is smooth, white or grey and shed in ribbons.

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Eucalyptus kruseana, image Heather Miles
Eucalyptus kruseanaBookleaf Mallee

Eucalyptus kruseana would be one of the best eucalypts for cultivation in suburban gardens. Unpruned plants may become straggly. This is prevented, once plants are established, by cutting back each stem almost to ground level. This will encourage multi-stemmed (mallee) growth.

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crimson flowers
Eucalyptus lansdowneanaCrimson Mallee / Red-flowered Mallee Box

Eucalyptus lansdowneana, Crimson Mallee, is a small tree that will reach a height of six metres. In the wild plants usually have multiple stems (mallee growth habit) but in cultivation plants usually restrict themselves to a single trunk.

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flowers
Eucalyptus macrandraLong-flowered marlock

Eucalyptus macrandra, Long-flowered Marlock, is a mallee from 4 to 10 metres tall. Plants often produce multiple trunks that grow from a large lignotuber (swollen root mass). In our garden specimens confine their growth to one trunk. The bark is smooth, light brown and is shed in long strips then ages to grey.

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flowers
Eucalyptus magnificataNorthern Blue Box

Eucalyptus magnificata is known as the Blue Box and is a tree that will reach a height of 15 metres. The bark is pale grey, fibrous and flaky. The leaves are oval and five to ten centimetres long by four to six centimetres wide. They are bluish-green in colour.

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Shows flowers
Eucalyptus michaelianaHillgrove Gum

Eucalyptus michaeliana is known as the Hillgrove Gum. The common name refers to the village of Hillgrove, east of Armidale on the Northern Tablelands of NSW. A large population, of Eucalyptus michaeliana, occurs near the village.

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Row of Eucalyptus microcorys, image Heather Miles
Eucalyptus microcorysTallowwood

Eucalyptus microcorys – Potentially a very tall tree, reaching 60 metres in some habitats. It has a sturdy straight trunk with continuous stringybark and forms a lignotuber, with continuous stringybark (stringy / mahogany-like) with very small brown-mica flakes on the surface (which aids identification).

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Eucalyptus obliqua (buds), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus obliquaMessmate, Messmate Stringybark

Eucalyptus obliqua – Potentially a very tall tree, reaching 90 metres in some habitats. It has a sturdy straight trunk with continuous stringybark and forms a lignotuber.

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flowers
Eucalyptus olseniiWoila Gum

Eucalyptus olsenii is known as the Woila Gum and grows into a tree reaching 12 metres in height. The bark is rough on the lower part of the trunk whilst the rest of the trunk and branches are smooth, white, cream or grey. Leaves may be lance-like or curved, up to 12 centimetres long, two centimetres wide and glossy green. Buds are carried in clusters of seven and have distinctive ribs or ridges.

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flowers
Eucalyptus pravaOrange Gum

Eucalyptus prava , the Orange Gum, develops into a small to medium tree with a trunk that is often rather twisted. The bark is smooth and comes in a range of colours. Patchy grey, grey-brown, orange and red-brown are all colours in the palette of Orange Gum bark colours. In spring the bark is shed in large plates or flakes. This is when the orange colour is most vivid (hence the common name). As the year progresses this colour fades.

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flowers
Eucalyptus preissianaBell-fruited mallee

In my northern Sydney’s suburbs garden, I planted Eucalyptus preissiana ten years ago, after bringing it back from Western Australia (with a quarantine clearance). It has ‘mallee’ habit, that is, multi-trunks arising from a lignotuber and has only grown to 1.5 metres high by the same width. In the wild, it grows to 2 to 3 metres in height by a similar width.

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Eucalyptus pulverulenta flowers, image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus pulverulentaSilver-leaved Mountain Gum

Eucalyptus pulverulenta is known as the Silver-leaved Mountain Gum and develops into a tall shrub or small tree. In cultivation the species is usually seen as a tall, spreading shrub. The Silver-leaved Mountain Gum is an unusual Eucalypt (especially for eastern Australia) because it retains juvenile foliage into maturity. Plants rarely produce adult leaves.

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Eucalyptus punctata (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus punctataGrey Gum

Eucalyptus punctata – A large tree, growing to a height of 35 m, with a lignotuber. It is a gum – meaning it has smooth-bark for all of its length. The bark can display vivid shades of grey, white and salmon-orange at different times of the year. It occurs through the ranges and near coastal areas from near Gympie in Queensland, to near Nowra in New South Wales, most commonly on transition zone soil types between sandstone and shale, mainly on the coast and tablelands, extending into the western slopes.

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Eucalyptus quadrangulata, image Dan Clarke
Eucalyptus quadrangulataWhite-topped Box or Coast White Box

Eucalyptus quadrangulata – A large tree, growing to a height of 45 to 50 m, forming a lignotuber. Found on the slopes and edges on the eastern side of the Northern and Central Tablelands in New South Wales, between Dorrigo and Scone in the north to Bundanoon and Milton in the south.

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Eucalyptus racemosa (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus racemosaSnappy Gum or Narrow-leaved Scribbly Gum

Eucalyptus racemosa – A tree, growing to 20 m, forming a lignotuber. It grows in woodland and forest, sometimes in pure stands, on poor sandstone and sandy soils, in mid to high rainfall areas. It is found along the coast, tablelands and western slopes in NSW, from Bombala, extending north-west to Bathurst and west to Canberra (ACT), north to Gympie and Bundaberg in south-eastern Queensland.

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Eucalyptus radiata (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus radiataNarrow-leaved Peppermint

Eucalyptus radiata – A tree, growing to a height of 50 m in forest and woodland. Usually found in cooler or wetter habitats in New South Wales, south from near or just over the Queensland border, along the tablelands / and highlands of the coastal areas, to the Wombat State Forest and Great Otway National Park and ranges of South Gippsland in Victoria and into central Victoria.

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Eucalyptus resinifera (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus resiniferaRed Mahogany, Red Messmate

Eucalyptus resinifera – A tree, growing to 45 m high, forming a lignotuber. It is found in coastal areas from Nowra in New South Wales to Gladstone in Queensland. It grows in forest on flats, valleys and gentle slopes, preferring soils of medium to high fertility but is also found on sandstone, especially in Sydney.

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Eucalyptus robusta (flowers and fruit/capsules), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus robustaSwamp Mahogany, Swamp Messmate

Eucalyptus robusta – A tree to 30 m tall and occurs in swamps and alongside estuaries in a narrow coastal strip, usually within a few kilometres of the ocean, from Rockhampton, Queensland, south to around Moruya in New South Wales. It is usually found on sandy and loam soils. It forms a dominant part of Swamp Sclerophyll Forests in NSW.

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Eucalyptus rossii (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus rossiiInland Scribbly Gum or White Gum

Eucalyptus rossii – A tree, growing to a height of around 15 to 20 m and forms a lignotuber. It has a scattered distribution over the New South Wales tablelands, western slopes from Tenterfield in the north to Bombala in the south. It is generally found west of the Blue Mountains, growing in sandy and stony well-drained soils, typically on slopes and ridges.

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Eucalyptus rubida, image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus rubidaCandlebark, Ribbon Gum or White Gum

Eucalyptus rubida – A tree, growing to 40 m high in woodland and forest, usually in shallow soils on tablelands, hills and slopes in cold areas. It forms a lignotuber. It grows mainly on the tablelands of NSW, growing just into the western slopes, into Victoria and Tasmania.

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Eucalyptus saligna, image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus salignaSydney Blue Gum or Blue Gum

Eucalyptus saligna – A large tree that can become a giant, growing to 60 m tall and forms a lignotuber. Found in areas which receive between 800 to 1200 mm of rainfall, on either clay-loams or soils of volcanic origin, within 120 km of the coastline. Grows to as far south as Port Jackson, north along the coast to Maryborough in central Queensland. Then there are disjunct populations further north up to Cairns. It does form an integral part of the endangered blue gum high forest ecological community in the Sydney region.

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Eucalyptus scias (buds), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus sciasLarge-fruited Red Mahogany, Red Mahogany

Eucalyptus scias – A tree growing to 20 m tall, forming a lignotuber and usually with noticeable wide leaves. Sometimes grows as a mallee. Found in high rainfall coastal forests on soils of medium fertility in several disjunct populations, up and down the NSW Coast, extending just into the tablelands areas, from near the Queensland border, south to Batemans Bay / Narooma.

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Eucalyptus sclerophylla (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus sclerophyllaHard-leaved Scribbly Gum, Narrow-leaved Scribbly Gum, Snappy Gum

Eucalyptus sclerophylla – A tree, growing up to 20 metres tall. Around Sydney it often occurs on the higher ridges, where the soil is drier and less fertile as well as in vegetation types such as Castlereagh Scribbly Gum Woodland. Further afield, it ranges north from Jervis Bay, Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley.
Smooth barked, with shedding bark of white or grey. Scribbles often found on the bark.

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Eucalyptus siderophloia (buds), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus siderophloiaNorthern Grey Ironbark

Eucalyptus siderophloia – A tree, growing to a height of 20 to 45 m, forming a lignotuber. It is found in forests on the coast and adjacent foothills in soils of reasonable fertility, from about Maryborough and Springsure in Queensland to just north of Sydney in New South Wales.

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Eucalyptus sideroxylon (pink), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus sideroxylonRed Ironbark, Mugga Ironbark

Eucalyptus sideroxylon is an ironbark eucalypt, potentially reaching 35 m high, though much shorter in cultivation. It is found in open forest and woodland, mainly on the tablelands, western slopes and plains of New South Wales, although it also occurs on the fringes of the Sydney basin, extending into Queensland and Victoria (through the inland parts).

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Eucalyptus sieberi (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus sieberiSilvertop Ash, Coast Ash, Black Ash

Eucalyptus sieberi – Potentially large tree growing to a height to 45 m (but does not form a lignotuber). Commonly found in forests and woodland, often in pure stands, on soils of low to medium fertility in coastal NSW.

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Eucalyptus signata, image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus signataScribbly Gum

Eucalyptus signata – A tree, growing to 25 metres tall, forming a lignotuber, in dry sclerophyll forests or swampy areas at low altitude, on sandy soils or sandstone.

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Eucalyptus smithii (buds), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus smithiiIronbark Peppermint, Gully Gum, Gully Peppermint, Blackbutt Peppermint

Eucalyptus smithii – A large tree usually (but also found as a mallee), forming a lignotuber, growing to a height of 40–45 m. It is typically found in higher rainfall areas, on sloping sites, on the coast and tablelands of NSW, south from Yerranderie, to eastern Victoria.

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Eucalyptus sparsifolia (buds and fruit), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus sparsifoliaNarrow-leaf Stringybark

Eucalyptus sparsifolia – A tree growing to a height of 20 metres. It is found in Sydney, especially on the north-western parts, usually on sandstone, and spreads, north-west through the Hunter Valley and to the Pilliga Scrub.

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Eucalyptus squamosa (trunk), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus squamosaScaly bark

Eucalyptus squamosa – A medium tree, growing to a height to 15 m and forms a lignotuber. It is generally found in sclerophyll woodland on ridgetops and plateaus, where soil accumulates in depressions on the sandstone, on and around sandstone plateaus, and often on lateritic soils.

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Eucalyptus steedmanii Buds and Flowers, image Andrew Knop
Eucalyptus steedmaniiSteedmans Mallet, Steedmans Gum

Eucalytptus steedmanii is a mallet-eucalypt, growing to a height of 10 metres, spreading to 7 metres wide (larger in favourable conditions).

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Eucalyptus stellulata, image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus stellulataBlack Sallee / Black Sally

Eucalyptus stellulata – A medium tree, growing to a height of 15 m (and forms a lignotuber). It is confined to the tablelands of NSW, extending into Qld and Vic.

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Eucalyptus stricta (mallee), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus strictaBlue Mountains Mallee Ash

Eucalyptus stricta – A small tree or mallee endemic to New South Wales, growing to 7 m tall, forming a lignotuber. It has a scattered distribution from the Central Tablelands around Newnes Plateau, south to Dr George Mountain north-east of Bega

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Eucalyptus tereticornis (bark), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus tereticornisForest Red Gum, Red Irongum, also known as Queensland Blue Gum

Eucalyptus tereticornis – A large tree growing to 50 m (and forms a lignotuber) and has a wide distribution, occurring over the widest range of latitudes of any Eucalyptus species, occurring from southern Papua New Guinea at latitude 15°S, to south-eastern Victoria at latitude 38°S.

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Eucalyptus umbra ssp umbra (flowers), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus umbraBroad-leaved White Mahogany

Eucalyptus umbra grows to 25 m tall, forming a lignotuber. It grows in the high rainfall coastal areas of New South Wales between Sydney and Grafton, northwards to south-eastern Queensland.

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Eucalyptus viminalis (flower), image Alan Fairley
Eucalyptus viminalisManna Gum, Ribbon Gum

Eucalyptus viminalis is a gum-eucalypt potentially reaching 40+ metres, though usually much shorter. It is widespread and abundant, in grassy woodland or forest on fertile loamy soils in higher rainfall areas, from South Australia around the east coast to Queensland. A hardy, large shade tree suitable for parks or very large gardens.

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Eucryphia moorei, image Alan Fairley
Eucryphia mooreiPinkwood, Eastern Leatherwood, Plumwood,

A small tree to 30 metres tall (often seen much smaller), with attractive and often horizontally-spreading foliage, spreading to several metres wide. It can often have many basal suckering stems.

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Eupomatia laurina, Image Alan Fairley
Eupomatia laurinaBolwarra, Copper LaurelEupomatiaceae

A tree to 10 metres tall but usually smaller – growing as a large shrub. It has a mostly coastal distribution in NSW but is found as far west as the central western slopes (Coolah Tops National Park), extending south along the entire coast to as far as the Orbost-region in Victoria, and extending through Queensland, somewhat disjunctly, to south of Cook Town and then disjunctly in New Guinea.

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Eutaxia obovata flower, image Jeff Howes
Eutaxia myrtifoliaEggs and Bacon Plant

Eutaxia myrtifolia – A shrub to about 1 m tall which grows only in moist karri forests in S-W Western Australia.

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Gaudium blakelyi (Image: Alan Fairley)
Gaudium blakelyi (syn. Leptospermum blakelyi)

Gaudium blakelyi – A typically small shrub that grows to a height of 1 metre. It has a restricted distribution, found mostly around Lithgow NSW, with some records further north in Newnes State Forest as well as south-west of Blackheath (Shipley) and grows in heath on rocky escarpments (granite and sandstone).

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Gaudium brevipes (Image: Warren Sheather)
Gaudium brevipes (syn. Leptospermum brevipes)Slender tea-tree

 Gaudium brevipes – A shrub (small tree) growing to 4 metres high and to 3 metres across. It has a wide distribution in NSW, extending through eastern Victoria towards Melbourne and north into Queensland, west of the Gold Coast. It is found in dry sclerophyll woodland and shrubland, typically on rock granite outcrops, often close to streams.

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Gaudium deanei (Image: Alan Fairley)
Gaudium deanei (syn. Leptospermum deanei)

A very rare shrub, growing to 5 metres tall. It is restricted to Sydney, growing in the Hornsby, Warringah, Ku-ring-gai and Ryde Local Government Areas.

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Gaudium laevigatum
Gaudium laviegatum (syn. Leptospermum laevigatum)Coast Tea Tree

Gaudium laevigatum, known as the Coast Tea Tree, is a medium to tall shrub or small tree reaching a height of eight metres. The trunk is often gnarled, the bark flaky and shed in strips. Leaves are lanceolate, grey-green to green with a sharp point. The flowers are two centimetres across, white, conspicuous and appear from August to October.

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Gaudium parvifolium (Image: Alan Fairley)
Gaudium parvifolium (syn. Leptospermum parvifolium)Small-leaved Teatree

A shrub to 2 metres tall by about 1 metre wide. It has a wide, albeit interesting, distribution across NSW, extending north from around Nowra, extending north and north-west, out to the central western slopes (Dubbo)…

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Gaudium polyanthum (Image: Alan Fairley)
Gaudium polyanthum (syn. Leptospermum polyanthum)

A spreading large shrub to small tree growing to 5 metres tall by up to 3 metres wide, often with a pendulous habit.

It has a large distribution, with the most south-east records around Bowral, extending west to Wombeyan Caves, then north through the central and northern tablelands and western slopes as well as the central and north coasts with the most northern records in Dorrigo National Park near Dorrigo.

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Gaudium trinervium (Image: Alan Fairley)
Gaudium trinervium (syn. Leptospermum trinervium)Flaky-barked Teatree

A large shrub or small tree, growing to a height of 6 metres, usually with a narrower spread, to 2 metres or more.

It is a very common shrub in sandstone environs, and has a large distribution, growing from the south-east region of Victoria (between Mallacoota and Orbost), north along the coast and tablelands subdivisions of NSW (extending just into the western slopes), up as far as Rockhampton in Qld.

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Geranium graniticola, image Alan Fairley
Geranium graniticola Cranesbills, Geraniums

A soft, herbaceous, sprawling-prostrate-decumbent, perennial with stems to 50 cm long, finely hairy and with a thick taproot. 

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Geranium homeanum, image Alan Fairley
Geranium homeanumRainforest Crane's-bill

A soft, herbaceous, creeping-spreading (mostly prostrate), annual or perennial herb to 0.3 metres tall and with stems to 70 cm long; potentially spreading to many metres wide by rooting at the nodes; otherwise often growing in colonies; with a fleshy branching taproot. 

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Geranium neglectum, image Alan Fairley
Geranium neglectumRed-stem Cranesbill, Cranesbill

A soft, herbaceous, spreading-prostrate-decumbent perennial, to about 120 cm long, sometimes rooting at the nodes; with a thick short taproot.

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Geranium potentilloides, image Alan Fairley
Geranium potentilloidesSoft Cranesbill, Cinquefoil geranium

A soft, herbaceous, spreading-prostrate perennial, that can grow up to 0.5 m high; with a thickened taproot; can root at nodes forming extensive clumps.

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Geranium solanderi, image Alan Fairley
Geranium solanderiNative Geranium, Australian Cranesbill, Austral Cranesbill, Cut-leaf Cranesbill, Native Carrot and Hairy Geranium

A very soft, herbaceous, spreading/creeping perennial herb that grows to about 0.2 m tall and about 1 metre wide with a basal taproot; often forming ground-covering colonies by rooting at the nodes.

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Glochidion ferdinandi Image Alan Fairley
Glochidion ferdinandiCheese TreePhyllanthaceae

A medium to large tree, capable of reaching 30 metres but often seen much smaller in the bush and in cultivation.

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Glycine tabacina, image Warren Sheather
Glycine tabacinaGlycine Pea

Glycine tabacina, the Glycine Pea, is a creeping trailer or climber with slender stems. The leaves are trifoliate (a compound leaf with three leaflets). The terminal leaflet is the longest. The pea-shaped flowers are about six millimetres long, blue, violet or purple and carried in axillary clusters. Flowering occurs from mid-spring to early autumn.

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Goodenia decurrens, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Goodenia decurrens

Goodenia decurrens is a small erect shrub with multiple stems. The leaves are five to ten centimetres long, lanceolate with toothed margins. The profuse bright yellow flowers are about two centimetres across and are carried in dense clusters during the warmer months with sporadic flowering at other times.

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Goodenia ovata, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Goodenia ovataHop Goodenia

Goodenia ovata is a member of the Goodeniaceae family and is known as the Hop Goodenia. There are 170 Goodenia species with only three occurring outside Australia. Plants may be an upright or spreading shrub that will reach a height of two metres.

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Graptophyllum excelsum flowers
Graptophyllum excelsumScarlet Fuchsia, Native Fuchsia

Graptophyllum excelsum is found along the eastern coast and ranges of Queensland.  The natural habitat of Graptophyllum excelsum is north of Cairns to south of Gladstone but this versatile and hardy plant apparently can grow in Melbourne (or so some gardening books suggest) and is resistant to light frosts.

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Grevillea acanthifolia
Grevillea acanthifolia

Grevillea acanthifolia is a spreading shrub that may reach a height of three metres with a spread of four metres. Judicious pruning will keep plants to a more manageable height and width. Divided leaves are bright green, stiff, prickly and up to 12 centimetres long. Grevillea acanthifolia carries pink, toothbrush-type flowers for most of the year.

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Grevillea acerata
Grevillea acerata

Grevillea acerata is a short shrub that is usually about one metre tall. Young growth is light green and mature leaves are linear, green above and whitish below. Each leaf is crowned with a prickly point. Clusters of flowers are carried on the ends of branches. Blooms are hairy and an unusual pale grey-pink and white colour. Flowering is profuse between June and December.

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Grevillea acropogon
Grevillea acropogon

Grevillea acropogon is a prostrate to erect shrub reaching a height of 1.8 metres. The leaves are light green, lobed with a sharp point on the end of each lobe. Flowers are held in terminal racemes and are an eye-catching red. Blooms are rich in nectar and are frequently visited by honeyeaters. Flowering extends through spring.

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Grevillea anethifolia
Grevillea anethifoliaSpiny Cream Spider Flower

Grevillea anethifolia is known as the Spiny Cream Spider Flower and is a medium, spreading shrub. Our specimens reach a height of two metres with a similar spread. The flowers are creamy-white, conspicuous, profuse and sweetly perfumed.

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Grevillea arenaria, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Grevillea arenaria

Grevillea arenaria ssp. arenaria is a medium to tall shrub that reaches a height between three to four metres in our cold climate garden. The leaves are light green, soft and have a velvety feel. The flowers may be pink, red or orange with a green or yellow base.

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Grevillea aspleniifolia, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea aspleniifoliaFern-leaved Grevillea

Grevillea aspleniifolia – A spreading shrub to 3 m high and 4 m wide that is endemic to New South Wales. It is found naturally between about Bowral and Katoomba, with a few records further south including near Bungonia Caves. It is common west and south of the Lake Burragorang area and can be seen growing along the roadside near Yerranderie. It typically occurs in rocky eucalypt woodland on shale or sandstone.

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Grevillea banksii, image Heather Miles
Grevillea banksiiRed Silky Oak, Banks Grevillea, Byfield Waratah

Grevillea banksii – A large shrub 7 m high. There are also prostrate forms found in the natural habitats. It is endemic to Queensland, occurring from Ipswich to Townsville, mainly along the coast in dry sclerophyll woodland and forest and coastal heathland, ridges and slopes.

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Grevillea baueri, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea baueriBauer's Grevillea

Grevillea baueri – A spreading to erect shrub to 2 metres tall. It is endemic to NSW and found naturally from around Hill Top, south to around Braidwood with much of its records in Bundanoon-Exeter and east of Nerriga. It is found growing in dry sclerophyll woodland or heath in sandy soils on sandstone.

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Grevillea beadleana
Grevillea beadleana

Grevillea beadleana is a beautiful, dense, spreading shrub with soft, divided, grey-green leaves. The toothbrush-shaped flowers are dark red, almost black in colour. Blooms are carried for most of the year and are rich in nectar.

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Grevillea bronweniae, image Mark Abell
Grevillea bronweniaeRed Ochre Grevillea

Grevillea bronweniae – An erect shrub growing to 2 metres tall, typically with a narrow spread to about 1 metre.

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Grevillea buxifolia, image Jason Salmon
Grevillea buxifoliaGrey Spider Flower

Grevillea buxifolia – A shrub to 2 metres tall and can spread to about 2 metres. It grows in open woodlands, forests and well as coastal heaths, along the central coast of NSW and adjacent ranges. Mainly found on sand and sandstone. The branches are covered in reddish or brown hairs.

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Grevillea caleyi, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea caleyiCaley's grevillea

Grevillea caleyi – A shrub to 3 m tall up to 4 m wide with long spreading branches. It grows in a small restricted area, approximately 8 square km, on Hawkesbury sandstone around Terrey Hills, 20 km or so north of Sydney NSW. It grows in a small restricted area, approximately 8 square km, on Hawkesbury sandstone around Terrey Hills, 20 km or so north of Sydney NSW. It occurs in three major areas of suitable habitat, namely Belrose, Ingleside and Terrey Hills/Duffys Forest within the Ku-ring-gai and Northern Beaches Local Government Areas.

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Grevillea capitellata, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea capitellata

Grevillea capitellata – A low dense mounded or prostrate shrub to 0.5 metres high. It occurs over a restricted area in the south of the Sydney Basin and northern Illawarra, bounded between Cordeaux Dam, Cataract Dam, Bulli and Mt Ousley in N.S.W.

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Grevillea chrysophaea
Grevillea chrysophaeaGolden Grevillea

Grevillea chrysophaea, the Golden Grevillea, is an open shrub reaching a height of 1.5 metres with a similar spread. Flowers are carried in clusters on short branches. The flower colour varies from bright yellow to brownish yellow. The bright yellow flowering forms are spectacular.

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Grevillea crithmifolia
Grevillea crithmifolia

Grevillea crithmifolia has two forms. One is a compact two metre tall shrub. The other is a dense ground cover with a spread of at least two metres. The groundcover form is the one most favoured by gardeners. Light green leaves are divided at the end into three narrow segments. In spring plants are covered with dense clusters of white or pink flowers. Honeyeaters are attracted to the flowers.

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Grevillea diffusa ssp constablei, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea diffusa

Grevillea diffusa – A spreading shrub to 2 metres tall. It is confined to the central coast subdivision of NSW, occurring north of the surrounds of Wollongong, to north of Gosford and west to Wentworth Falls, with some records near Kandos. Most records are in the Royal NP and around Mt White and Calga. It grows in dry forest and woodland, occasionally in swampy heath, usually on Hawkesbury sandstone.

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Grevillea diversifolia
Grevillea diversifoliaVariable-leaved Grevillea

Grevillea diversifolia is a native of the south-west corner of Western Australia. The species is said to reach a height of five metres. Our specimens, after ten years, are about 1.5 metres tall by the same width. Our specimens, after ten years, are about 1.5 metres tall by the same width. The leaves are up to 40 millimetres long and broad near the apex. A few leaves are lobed. This feature has probably given rise to the species name.

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Grevillea evansiana, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Grevillea evansianaEvans Grevillea

Grevillea evansiana is an attractive small shrub with unusual flowers and could be cultivated in a native garden bed or large rockery. Grevillea evansiana is surviving and thriving in our cold climate garden.

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Grevillea flexuosa (Image: Heather Miles)
Grevillea flexuosaTangled Grevillea / Zig Zag Grevillea

Grevillea flexuosa – A shrub growing to 2 m tall with spreading/arching branches which can spread several metres wide. It is a threatened species growing in Western Australia and is found naturally in the south-west region, north-east of Perth, typically growing in Jarrah Forest.

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Grevillea floribunda, Illawarra Grevillea Park, image H Miles
Grevillea floribundaRusty Spider Flower / Sevens Dwarfs Grevillea

Grevillea floribunda, Rusty Spider Flower, is a dwarf to medium shrub with oval to long shaped leaves. Young growth is rusty-hairy. Adult leaves are deep green above and greyish hairy beneath. The unusual flowers are rusty-green, tightly clustered in groups of seven or so.

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Grevillea georgeana, image Jeff Howes
Grevillea georgeana

Grevillea georgeana – It is endemic to Western Australia, occurring in the hills and mountains between Koolyanobbing and Diemals, in the Coolgardie and Murchison regions.

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Grevillea granulifera
Grevillea granulifera

Grevillea granulifera comes in two forms. One is a rounded shrub about two metres tall. The other is a tall, upright shrub reaching a height of four metres. Flowers are pinkish red or pinkish purple with red styles. Honeyeaters often attend the blooms.

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Grevillea humilis
Grevillea humilis

Grevillea humilis is an erect to spreading shrub that may reach a height of just over one metre. Flowers are carried on the ends of branches and may be white or pink. Peak flowering occurs in spring and summer with sporadic flowering at other times.

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Grevillea iaspicula
Grevillea iaspiculaWee Jasper Grevillea

Grevillea iaspicula, The Wee Jasper Grevillea, is a medium shrub with light green leaves and large clusters of cream and pink flowers that characterise this hardy Grevillea. In cultivation plants usually carry flowers for many months. Honeyeaters flock to the blooms. Pruning will keep plants compact and flowering profusely.

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Grevillea imberbis, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea imberbis

Grevillea imberbis – A shrub to 0.4 m high or prostrate, with a rhizomatous suckering ability. It is only found in two separate areas, from Kanangra Walls (Boyd Plateau) SE of Oberon and the Braidwood–Mongarlowe–Currockbilly areas (central and southern tablelands) in NSW. It grows in wet low heath or on heathy-woodland margins, in skeletal soils over sandstone.

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Grevillea insignis, image Peter Shelton
Grevillea insignisWax Grevillea

Grevillea insignis – A shrub growing to 5 metres tall with spreading/arching branches which can spread several metres wide.

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Grevillea jephcottii
Grevillea jephcottiiGreen Grevillea, Jephcott’s Grevillea, Pine Mountain Grevillea

Grevillea jephcottii is variously known as Green Grevillea, Jephcott’s Grevillea and Pine Mountain Grevillea. This rare native is found in small areas mostly in the Burrowa-Pine Mountains National Park in north-eastern Victoria. This rare native is found in small areas mostly in the Burrowa-Pine Mountains National Park in north-eastern Victoria.

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Grevillea johnsonii, image Heather Miles
Grevillea johnsoniiJohnson's Grevillea or Johnson's Spider Flower

Grevillea johnsonii – A shrub that typically grows to a height to 4.5 metres, often around 2 metres. It is found on sandstone – rocky habitats, in the Capertee and Goulburn River catchments, north-west of Sydney in the central tablelands and central western slopes divisions. There are also some unsubstantiated records from the south-coast of NSW.

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Grevillea 'Molonglo', image Heather Miles
Grevillea juniperinaJuniper- or Juniper-leaf Grevillea / Prickly Spider Flower

Grevillea juniperina – A prickly-leaved and highly variable shrub, growing to 3 m high, typically on clay-based or alluvial soils in dry sclerophyll woodland. It is common on creeks and moist areas but can also be seen colonising roadsides in some places.

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Grevillea kedumbensis, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea kedumbensis

Grevillea kedumbensis – A shrub to 1 m high with a lignotuber. It is naturally restricted to an area between the Kedumba Valley and Scotts Main Range (near Yerranderie, west of Lake Burragorang in NSW).

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Grevillea lanigera 'Mt Tamboritha' flowers
Grevillea lanigera ‘Mt Tamboritha’(cultivar)

Grevillea lanigera ‘Mt Tamboritha’ make an excellent compact ground cover as they grow to about one metre (or less) in diameter to about 20 cms high in situations with full sun to partial shade in fairly well drained soils. Its attractive grey/green foliage is a good colour contrast to its flowers, and is best shown if planted in groups of three. 

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Grevillea laurifolia, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea laurifoliaLaurel-leaf Grevillea

Grevillea laurifolia – A prostrate shrub, to 4 metres or more in diameter. It is endemic to NSW and found naturally in the Blue Mountains and on the ranges from the Newnes Plateau to the Wombeyan Caves (mostly near central coast and tablelands boundary).

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Grevillea leiophylla
Grevillea leiophyllaWallum Grevillea / Fairy Floss

Grevillea leiophylla is a small shrub with linear-lanceolate leaves up to 30 millimetres long. Pink flowers are held in terminal, spidery clusters and appear in spring and summer. This small species is a native of Queensland and is found north of Brisbane.

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Grevillea linearifolia, image Heather Miles
Grevillea linearifoliaWhite Spider Flower, Linear-leaf Grevillea

Grevillea linearifolia – Is an upright spreading shrub up to about 2 to 3 m high. It is found naturally, primarily in the Greater Sydney Basin, from Gosford and Putty area to the Parramatta River and Port Jackson, then with disjunct populations near Nowra and Ulladulla as well as Lawson in the Blue Mountains.

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Grevillea longifolia - inflorescence in bud (Image: Dan Clarke)
Grevillea longifoliaFern-leaved Grevillea

A spreading shrub to 5 metres high and up to 5 metres wide.
It has a small distribution in NSW, growing naturally on Hawkesbury sandstone; chiefly in the southern half of the Sydney Basin and Woronora Plateau; possibly also in the Lawson area of NSW.
It is typically found in moist areas of dry sclerophyll forest, often near creeks.

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Grevillea macleayana, Beecroft Peninsula, image H Miles
Grevillea macleayanaJervis Bay Grevillea

Grevillea macleayana – A spreading to erect shrub to 4 m high. It occurs solely on the N.S.W. South Coast, mainly around Jervis Bay and extending patchily west of Nowra to Bundanoon and south to Ulladulla, with a remote location further south in Deua National Park.

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Grevillea molyneuxii, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea molyneuxiiWingello Grevillea

Grevillea molyneuxii – A low spreading shrub to 1 m tall. Restricted to a small area in the southern highlands of NSW, viz. south of Penrose, above Tallowa Gully and Bundanoon Creek, in Morton National Park and on Crown Land.

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Grevillea montana, image Dan Clarke
Grevillea montanaMountain Grevillea

Grevillea montana – A spreading shrub to 0.5 to 1.5 m high from the southern Hunter Region of New South Wales; from Denman to Kurri Kurri, growing in open forests on sandy soils.

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Grevillea mucronulata, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea mucronulataGreen Spider Flower

Grevillea mucronulata is a spreading to erect shrub which usually grows up to 2 m high. Its primary natural range is from the upper Hunter Region around Denman and Singleton, west to Rylstone…

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Grevillea obtusiflora ssp fecunda, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea obtusifloraGrey Grevillea

Grevillea obtusiflora – A spreading shrub, to 2 m high, sometimes suckering from roots (producing ramets or clones). Grows in sandy loam soils in open lower midstorey in dry sclerophyll forest in the Kandos and Capertee Valley areas of NSW (Central Tablelands)

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Grevillea oldei, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Grevillea oldei

Grevillea oldei is a small, open shrub with arching branches and may reach a height of one metre. The leaves are narrowly ovate to almost triangular with a sharp point. Bright red flowers are carried in pendulous, terminal globular clusters.

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Grevillea oleoides, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea oleoidesRed Spider Flower

Grevillea oleoides – A shrub to 3 m high, growing in moister areas of dry sclerophyll woodland or heath, often beside creeks or in swampy ground, on sandstone and sandy soils.

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Grevillea parviflora ssp parviflora , image Alan Fairley
Grevillea parvifloraSmall-flowered Grevillea

Grevillea parviflora – A shrub usually to 1 m high or less, or almost prostrate. It can spread from rhizomes. It is generally confined to the Greater Sydney Basin (in recent times, more occurrences have been recorded) found naturally from Prospect to Camden and the Avon and Cordeaux Dam area on clay soils

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Grevillea patulifolia, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea patulifoliaSwamp Grevillea

Grevillea patulifolia – An erect to sprawling shrub to 2.5 m high, which can sucker from rhizomes. It is naturally found on the NSW coast, primarily south from Heathcote to Ulladulla with a few records inland to the adjacent tablelands, extending south into Victoria where it is listed as rare.

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Grevillea petrophiloides ssp. remota, image Heather Miles
Grevillea petrophiloidesPink Pokers

Grevillea petrophiloides – An erect and very open shrub, to 3 metres tall and spreading potentially to 3 metres wide.

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Grevillea phylicoides, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea phylicoidesGrey Spider Flower

Grevillea phylicoides – This species is not readily known in cultivation, mainly due to the fact that so many other grevillea species and cultivars are grown.

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Grevillea pinaster, image Jeff Howes
Grevillea pinaster

Grevillea pinaster is usually a dense, upright shrub that in our cold climate garden reaches height of one and a half metres. We also have a lower, spreading form that is less than one metre high. The flowers are carried in terminal clusters and are pink or red.

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Grevillea preissii, image Peter Olde
Grevillea preissiiSpider-net Grevillea

Grevillea preissii – An erect to spreading shrub, to 2 metres tall by 3 metres wide. There are also some prostrate forms found in the wild.

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Grevillea ramosissima, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea ramosissima subsp. ramosissimaFan Grevillea

Grevillea ramosissima subsp. ramosissima – A spreading shrub, to 3 m high. This subspecies is found naturally only in NSW, mainly on the tablelands and western slopes, south from Glen Innes and Inverell districts, to the Blue Mountains and the A.C.T, south to virtually the Victorian border. 

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Grevillea raybrownii, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea raybrowniiRay’s Grevillea

Grevillea raybrownii – A shrub to 1.5 m high that has a restricted distribution in the Greater Sydney Area, between Dapto, Robertson and Berrima in N.S.W (with possible occurrences in Bungonia). It grows in sandy, gravelly loams in dry sclerophyll forest, mostly on ridge tops and occasionally on slopes.

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Grevillea rivularis, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea rivularisCarrington Falls Grevillea

Grevillea rivularis – A shrub to 2.5 m high. It is confined to the Carrington Falls area on the upper Kangaroo River, west of Kiama, within Budderoo National Park in N.S.W.

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Grevillea rosmarinifola, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea rosmarinifoliaRosemary Grevillea

Grevillea rosmarinifolia – A shrub usually to 2 m tall. It is a native of NSW and Victoria, found in the central and southern areas of NSW, south from around Oberon, through the tablelands, slopes and the east of the western plains (as well as the south coast) into Victoria.

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Grevillea rosmarinifolia 'Lutea'
Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Lutea’

Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Lutea’ is a small shrub reaches a height of 40 cm with a spread of 50 cm. The leaves are light green, 2 cm long, linear with a sharp point. Flowers are cream with a waxy texture and held in large, conspicuous clusters. The lengthy flowering period extends from winter to late spring.

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Grevillea scortechinii
Grevillea scortechiniiBlack Grevillea / Backwater Grevillea

Grevillea scortechinii is known as the Black Grevillea and is a spreading almost prostrate shrub with branches extending to at least 1 metre. Prickly, holly-like leaves are up to six centimetres long, dark green with a leathery texture. Unusual toothbrush flowers are black or very dark maroon and up to 50 millimetres long. This flower colour is unusual in Grevilleas in particular and Australian plants in general.

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Grevillea sericea, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea sericeaPink Spider Flower, Silky Grevillea

Grevillea sericea – A shrub to 2 metres high with about a 1 metre spread. An endemic to NSW, it grows naturally from southern Sydney to near Newcastle; west to the Blue Mountains area and north-west to the Goulburn River catchment in the Hunter Valley.

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Grevillea shiressii
Grevillea shiressii

Grevillea shiressii is a very rare species from the Central Coast of NSW where it grows along the banks of a tributary of the Hawkesbury River. This attractive shrub reached a height two metres tall with a similar width, in five years, in our cold climate garden. The leaves are up to 16 centimetres long with wavy margins.

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Grevillea speciosa
Grevillea speciosaRed Spider Flower

Grevillea speciosa is a small to medium shrub that may reach height of two metres. In our cold climate garden specimens reach a height of about one metre after three years in the ground. Flowers are pink to bright red, held in clusters up to seven centimetres long and carried on the end of branches.

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Grevillea sphacelata, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea sphacelataGrey Spider Flower

Grevillea sphacelata – A shrub to 2.5 m high. It is found naturally, primarily in the Sydney basin, occurring from north of Sydney to north of Kiama and to Mittagong area.

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Grevillea synapheae, image Heather Miles
Grevillea synapheaeCatkin Grevillea

Grevillea synapheae is a highly ornamental and hardy spreading shrub to 20-40 cm high by 1 to 1.5 m wide and can form a solid groundcover. It has attractive slightly glaucous foliage and bronzy new growth. The leaves are normally divided into 3 to 7 lobes. It flowers profusely with clusters of cream to yellow flowers over a long period from late winter to spring. The shape of the inflorescences resembles a catkin, a type of inflorescence produced in plants like birches, beeches and oaks.

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Grevillea teretifolia
Grevillea teretifolia

Grevillea teretifolia is an erect, medium shrub with light green, segmented leaves. Each segment is crowned with a sharp point. Flowers are carried in pendulous, one-sided clusters, white, sometimes pink and appear in profusion during spring.

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Grevillea triternata
Grevillea triternata

Grevillea triternata is an often straggly shrub reaching a height of 1.5 metres. The straggly growth habit may be slightly modified by tip pruning. Light green leaves are divided into threes either two or three times. Leaf segments are crowned with a sharp point.

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Grevillea venusta mature plant, image Llew Davies
Grevillea venustaByfield Spider-flower

Grevillea venusta – A large erect to spreading shrub to 5 metres high by 2 metres wide.

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Grevillea vestita
Grevillea vestita

Grevillea vestita is a bushy shrub that reaches a height of two metres in our garden. The species will reach greater heights in more temperate regions. Leaves are up to six centimetres in length with three to six lobes. Each lobe is crowned with a pungent point. Leaves are hairy. The flowers are white or pale pink, scented and held in axillary racemes. In our garden Grevillea vestita has proved to be hardy, free flowering, frost tolerant and once established has very low water requirements.

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Grevillea wilkinson
Grevillea wilkinsoniiTumut Grevillea

Grevillea wilkinsonii is a bushy shrub that may reach a height of two metres. The leaves are up to 17 centimetres long, 3 centimetres wide, dark green above and silvery-white below with toothed margins. The toothbrush-shaped flower-heads are an unusual purplish-pink.

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Grevillea willisii
Grevillea willisiiOmeo Grevillea

Grevillea willisii is a spreading shrub reaching a height of three metres with a similar spread and is a native of northern Victoria. Large creamy-white toothbrush flowers are an outstanding feature. Spring is the main flowering period when plants become covered with the nectar-rich blooms.

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Grevillea x gaudichaudii, image Alan Fairley
Grevillea x gaudichaudiiN/A

Grevillea x gaudichaudii – A groundcover shrub to about 0.3 m tall and spreading to 3 m wide. It is a naturally occurring hybrid of Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. acanthifolia and Grevillea laurifolia originating in the Blue Mountains of NSW.

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Grevillea 'Amethyst'
Grevillea ‘Amethyst’(cultivar)

In our cold climate garden when in flower Grevillea ‘Amethyst’ is one of our most eye-catching plants. The mauve flowers literally cover the plant. Grevillea ‘Amethyst’ could be cultivated in a rockery or native cottage garden. This hardy hybrid could also be grown as the border to garden beds as a colourful substitute for the ubiquitous exotic box.

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Grevillea 'Apricot Charm'
Grevillea ‘Apricot Charm’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Apricot Charm’ is a spreading shrub reaching a height of 1.5 metres with a spread of about 2 metres. The leaves are about three centimetres long, dark green and glossy. The large flowers are held in pendulous clusters, apricot coloured and make their presence felt in winter and spring

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Grevillea 'Apricot Glow', image Jeff Howes
Grevillea ‘Apricot Glow’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Apricot Glow’ is said to be a cultivar of G. olivacea, a native of Western Australia. Grevillea ‘Apricot Glow’ is a tall shrub that will reach a height of three metres. Leaves are deep green, oval and similar in appearance to those of the exotic olive.

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Grevillea 'Billy Bonkers', image Gwen Versace
Grevillea ‘Billy Bonkers’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Billy Bonkers’ – A low growing shrub to about 1 metre tall, spreading to 3 metres wide. This cultivar was introduced by Richard Tomkin…

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Grevillea 'Blood Orange', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Blood Orange’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Blood Orange’ – A shrub growing to 3 x 3 metres. This cultivar was introduced by Chris Hughes at Plants for Living Nursery at Federal NSW, from a seedling that came up in the nursery. The parentage is not, as yet, known for the purposes of this profile. It is likely associated with the G. banksii group of cultivars.

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Grevillea 'Bonfire'
Grevillea ‘Bonfire’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Bonfire’ is said to be an upright shrub reaching a height of two metres. We know of a group of “Bonfires”, in a garden, that are about five metres tall. The leaves are dark green and narrowly divided. New growth has a bronze colour.

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Grevillea 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'
Grevillea ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ is a dwarf, bushy shrub that reaches a height of one metre. This is one many hybrid natives developed by Bywong nursery. Oblong leaves are about four centimetres long, dark green above and paler below. Profuse and conspicuous flowers are red and yellow. They appear for lengthy periods.

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Grevillea 'Boongala Spinebill' - inflorescence - (Image: Jeff Howes)
Grevillea ‘Boongala Spinebill’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Boongala Spinebill’ – a spreading to weeping shrub, to 2.5 metres high by 3 metres wide. It can be dense and bushy and the new growth is a copper-red colour.

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Grevillea 'Bronze Rambler', image Peter Olde
Grevillea ‘Bronze Rambler’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Bronze Rambler’ – A low growing, ground-covering shrub, to 50 cm tall but it may spread to over 5 metres. It grows horizontally and can even hang pendulously over a wall.

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Grevillea 'Bush Lemons'
Grevillea ‘Bush Lemons’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Bush Lemons’ is a spectacular hybrid that was developed by Changers Green Nursery, Gin Gin Queensland. We cannot find a record of its parents but this does not detract from this long-flowering Grevillea.

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Grevillea 'Butterfly Beauty', image Jeff Howes
Grevillea ‘Butterfly Beauty’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Butterfly Beauty’ – A shrub growing to around 1 metre tall by 1.5 metres wide.

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Grevillea 'Coastal Glow'
Grevillea ‘Coastal Glow’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Coastal Glow’ is a medium, spreading shrub that has reached a height of two metres in our cold climate garden. Young growth often has a reddish colour. The oblong leaves are 20 centimetres long and two centimetres wide. Some leaves have lobes. The beautiful flowers are toothbrush-shaped, on the ends of branches, seven centimetres long and reddish-purple.

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Grevillea 'Coconut Ice', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Coconut Ice’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Coconut Ice’ – A cultivar with a very popular history. It is a shrub growing to 2 x 2 metres and has a dense, compact habit.

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Grevillea 'Evelyns Coronet'
Grevillea ‘Evelyn’s Coronet’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Evelyn’s Coronet’ is a rounded shrub that reaches a height of two metres in our cold climate garden.The narrow-oblong leaves are about 20 mm long with turned-down margins. The crown-like flower heads are carried upright on the ends of branches. They are woolly, greyish-pink with bright pink styles.

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Grevillea 'Firesprite' inflorescences (Image: Jeff Howes)
Grevillea ‘Firesprite’(cultivar)

Many years ago (well about ten), in my northern Sydney suburban garden, I planted my first Grevillea ‘Firesprite’. This is a hybrid between Grevillea longistyla (female) and Grevillea venusta (male). My plant has now grown into a large shrub about 4m high x 3m wide with a mid-dense habit.

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Grevillea 'Fireworks', image Jeff Howes
Grevillea ‘Fireworks’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Fireworks’ – a small shrub growing to about 1 x 1 metre.

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Grevillea 'Flamingo', image Rhonda Daniels
Grevillea ‘Flamingo’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Flamingo’ – A popular cultivar. It is a spreading to weeping shrub, growing to 3 x 3 metres and has can have a dense compact habit. It is reportedly a hybrid …

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Grevillea 'Flora Mason', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Flora Mason’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Flora Mason’ – – A shrub growing potentially to 3 x 3 metres or more wide but can be kept shorter through pruning.

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Grevillea 'Gold Rush', image Peter Olde
Grevillea ‘Gold Rush’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Gold Rush’ – A low growing, compact shrub to about 1 x 1 metre tall and wide.

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Grevillea 'Golden Lyre' inflorescences (Image: Jeff Howes)
Grevillea ‘Golden Lyre’

Grevillea ‘Golden Lyre’ is a hybrid and in warmer areas, north of Sydney (it will not tolerate a situation that is cold and receives winter frosts), it can grow to approximately 2 to 3 metres high by up to 4 to 6 metres wide if given full sun and some summer moisture.

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Grevillea 'Goliath', image Peter Olde
Grevillea ‘Goliath’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Goliath’ – A grafted shrub growing to 4 m tall by several metres wide. It was developed by well known Grevillea breeder, the Late Merv Hodge (1933-2019). It appears to be associated with the Grevillea banksii cultivars and is possibly a hybrid of G. banksii x G ‘Majestic’.

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Grevillea 'Hills Jubilee', Illawarra Grevillea Park, image H Miles
Grevillea ‘Hills Jubilee’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Hills Jubilee’ – introduced by Peter Ollerenshaw of Bywong Bursery. It is a deliberate hybrid cross between G. baueri x G. alpina and G. rosmarinifolia ‘Lutea’.

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Grevillea 'Honey Barbara', image Karlo Taliano
Grevillea ‘Honey Barbara’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Honey Barbara’ – A large shrub that grows to 3 metres high by 2 metres wide. This cultivar is reported to be a hybrid between two cultivars Grevillea ‘Sylvia’ and G. ‘Honey Gem’.

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Grevillea 'Honey Gem', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Honey Gem’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Honey Gem’ – A large shrub that grows to 6 metres high by 5 metres wide. This cultivar is reported to be a hybrid between Grevillea banksii (a Queensland species) and G. pteridifolia (a Queensland and NT species).

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Grevillea 'Honey Jo'
Grevillea ‘Honey Jo’(cultivar)

A cultivar registered by Carol and Brian Roach on behalf of the ANPS Grevillea Study Group. Originally, a single plant was purchased by Carol and Brian Roach approximately 30 years ago, and consequently discovered to be incorrectly labelled as Grevillea ‘Poorinda Hula’.

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Grevillea Ivanhoe, image Peter Olde
Grevillea ‘Ivanhoe’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Ivanhoe’ – A large shrub that grows to potentially to 5 metres high by 5 metres wide. This cultivar is reported to be a hybrid between Grevillea longifolia and Grevillea caleyi, two coastal NSW species that are both rare and threatened respectively.

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Grevillea 'Ivory Whip', image Karen Thorn
Grevillea ‘Ivory Whip’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Ivory Whip’ – A stunning open shrub growing to 1.5 metres tall x 3 metres wide.

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Grevillea 'Jelly Baby' flower, image Jeff Howes
Grevillea ‘Jelly Baby’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Jelly Baby’ – Grevillea ‘Jelly Baby’ is a dense, silver grey, low spreading shrub to 0.4 metres high and to 1 metre wide. G. ‘Jelly Baby’ was a chance seedling which arose at the property of Neil and Wendy Marriott at Panrock Ridge in the Black Range, near Stawell in Victoria.

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Grevillea 'Jubilee', formerly 'Austraflora Jubilee', image Warren Sheather
Grevillea ‘Jubilee’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Jubilee’ – A low growing, compact shrub to about 1 metre tall. This cultivar was introduced by Austraflora Nurseries, Montrose, Victoria, in 1982. It is reportedly a hybrid between G. rosmarinifolia and G. alpina.

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Grevillea Kay Williams, image Peter Olde
Grevillea ‘Kay Williams’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Kay Williams’ – A shrub that grows to 4 metres tall by 4 metres wide. The cultivar is very similar to Grevillea banksii which is one of the original parents. It is thought this cultivar is a cross between G. banksii and G. ‘Sandra Gordon’.

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Grevillea 'Kimberley Gold' (Image: Marie O'Connor)
Grevillea ‘Kimberley Gold’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Kimberley Gold’ – A stunning open shrub growing to 2 metres tall x 3 metres wide. It is reported to be a hybrid of G. wickhammii (a species found in WA, NT and Qld) and G. miniata (a species also found in WA and NT). Leaves are grey-green with a holly-like shape, to about 7 cm long and 4 cm wide, generally ovate in shape with conspicuous and broad lobes/teeth on the margin. The leaves also have a long thin petiole.

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Grevillea 'Lady O', image Jeff Howes
Grevillea ‘Lady O’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Lady O’ is a member of the Proteaceae family and is a hybrid whose parents are a Grevillea victoriae hybrid and Grevillea rhyolitica. Red flowers are carried in terminal clusters that are about five centimetres long. Our plants carry blooms for many months.

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Grevillea 'Lana Maree', image Simon Bastin
Grevillea ‘Lana Maree’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Lana Maree’ – A popular cultivar. It is a spreading to weeping shrub, growing to 2 x 3 metres and has can have a dense compact habit.

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Grevillea 'Lemon Daze'
Grevillea ‘Lemon Daze’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Lemon Daze’ is a small one metre high shrub. Narrow leaves are light green. Large pendulous flower heads are a dazzling yellow and pink. Honeyeaters visit the blooms. The lengthy flowering period extends from autumn to spring.

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Grevillea 'Lindsay's Pink' - inflorescence (Image: Jeff Howes)
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Grevillea 'Lollypops', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Lollypops’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Lollypops’ – A shrub growing to 1.5 x 1.5 metres. It is a resulting seedling of Grevillea ‘Billy Bonkers’. It was bred by Richard Tomkin at a nursery in Queensland (see ‘Billy Bonkers’ profile for parentage; Grevillea banksii is largely involved).

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Grevillea 'Long John', or 'Elegance', image Warren Sheather
Grevillea ‘Long John’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Long John’ – A shrub that grows to 3 metres high by 5 metres wide. It is reported to be a cross between Grevillea johnsonii x G. longistyla (a NSW species and a QLD species respectively). It also goes by the synonymous cultivar name of Grevillea ‘Elegance’. However, ‘Long John’ is the accepted registered name.

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Grevillea Majestic, image Mark Abell
Grevillea ‘Majestic’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Majestic’ – A shrub that grows to 5 metres high by 3 wide. The cultivar is very similar to G. banksii which is one of the original parents. It is thought this cultivar is a seedling of Grevillea ‘Misty Pink’.

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Grevillea 'Ned Kelly', image Warren Sheather
Grevillea ‘Mason’s Hybrid’ / ‘Ned Kelly’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Mason’s Hybrid’ / ‘Ned Kelly’ – A cultivar which has proven popular in its history. It grows to about 1.5 m across by 2 metres wide.

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Grevillea 'Misty Pink', image Jeff Howes
Grevillea ‘Misty Pink’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Misty Pink’ – A large shrub growing to 4 x 3 metres.

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Grevillea 'Moonlight', image Warren Sheather
Grevillea ‘Moonlight’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Moonlight’ – A cultivar with a very popular history. It is a large, spreading shrub growing to 5 x 4 metres and has a dense, compact habit. It is reported to be a selected form of Grevillea whiteana. However, there is published genetic data that it is the progeny of a cross between G. banksii and G. whiteana.

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Grevillea 'Orange Marmalade'
Grevillea ‘Orange Marmalade’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Orange Marmalade’ is a hybrid which is an open shrub that has reached a height of two metres in a sheltered position in our garden. Large flowers are carried in terminal racemes and are an unusual orange colour with red styles and resemble the colour of orange marmalade hence the name. Flowers are carried for many months and are attractive to honeyeaters particularly Eastern Spinebills.

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Grevillea 'Parakeet Pink', image Peter Olde
Grevillea ‘Parakeet Pink’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Parakeet Pink’ – A compact shrub growing to 1.5 x 1.5 metres.

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Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’ – A shrub that grows to 2 metres high by 2 wide. The cultivar is a cross between a white-flowered form of the Queensland species Grevillea banksii and G. bipinnatifida from Western Australia.

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Grevillea 'Pink Candelabra', image Heather Clark
Grevillea ‘Pink / White Candelabra’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Pink / White Candelabra’ – An upright narrow shrub growing to 4 metres tall x 1 metre wide.

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Grevillea 'Pink Surprise'
Grevillea ‘Pink Surprise’

Grevillea ‘Pink Surprise’ is a tall shrub that has reached a height of four metres with spread exceeding two metres in our garden. The large, eye-catching flower spikes are about 15 centimetres long, 5 centimetres wide, pink with long cream styles and attractive to honeyeaters.

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Grevillea 'Poorinda Diadem'
Grevillea ‘Poorinda Diadem’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Poorinda Diadem’ is an erect shrub that reaches a height of two metres with a similar width in our cold climate garden. Large flowers are carried in the leaf axils. They are buff to apricot with long yellow styles. Flowers are conspicuous and profuse.

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Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ – A cultivar with a very popular history. It is a shrub growing to 2 x 2 metres and has a dense, compact habit. It is the one of the resulting offspring of G. banksii x G. pinnatifida.

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Grevillea 'Sandra Gordon', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’ – A tree that grows to 5 metres (potentially 8 metres) high by 5 metres wide. As for Grevillea ‘Honey Gem’, this cultivar is reported to be a hybrid between Grevillea sessilis (a Queensland species) and G. pteridifolia (a Queensland and NT species).

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Grevillea 'Spider Mist', image Jeff Howes
Grevillea ‘Spider Mist’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Spider Mist’ – This is a medium-size compact rounded shrub that typically grows up to a height of 2 metres by 2 metres wide. It has been brought into cultivation by member Brian Roach from a seedling in his garden.

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Grevillea 'Splendour'
Grevillea ‘Splendour’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Splendour’ is a hardy, colourful hybrid which reaches a height of two metres with a spread of one metre. Large clusters of bright red flowers are carried for most of the year. Honeyeaters are fond of the blooms. Both foliage and flowers are attractive features.

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Grevillea 'Sunset Bronze', image Karlo Taliano
Grevillea ‘Sunset Splendour’ (‘Sunset Bronze’)(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Sunset Splendour’ (‘Sunset Bronze’) – reportedly originated in a garden in Brisbane and is thought to be a chance hybrid between Grevillea ‘Honey Gem’ and a northern form of G. pteridifolia.

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Grevillea 'Superb', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Superb’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Superb’ – A cultivar with a popular history. It is a shrub growing to about 2 x 2 metres and with a dense, compact habit with pruning.

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Grevillea 'Sylvia', image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘Sylvia’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Sylvia’ – A shrub that grows to 5 metres high by 4 wide. The cultivar is very similar to G. banksii which is one of the original parents. It is thought this cultivar is a progeny of Grevillea ‘Pink Surprise’.

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Grevillea 'White Wings', Farm garden, image Heather Miles
Grevillea ‘White Wings’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘White Wings’ – A shrub that grows to 3 metres with a spreading habit to several metres wide. Branches can be erect as well as spreading down or arching towards the ground. This cultivar is thought to be a cross between the WA species Grevillea curviloba and another WA species. Grevillea curviloba grows very well on the East Coast and has been a popular grevillea to grow.

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Grevillea 'Winpara Gem'
Grevillea ‘Winpara Gem’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Winpara Gem’’s flowers appear from autumn to spring. Buds are pink, open to deep red and age to orange. The blooms are held in large racemes and appear on older wood. Honeyeaters are partial to the nectar-filled flowers.

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Grevillea x semperflorens
Grevillea x semperflorens(cultivar)

Grevillea x semperflorens is an upright shrub that, in our garden, reaches a height of two metres. The narrow leaves may be linear or divided into segments crowned with a sharp point. Orange-red flowers are held in pendulous racemes.

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Grevillea 'Allyn Radiance'
Grevillea ‘Allyn Radiance’

Grevillea ‘Allyn Radiance’ leaves are linear, lanceolate, about 15 millimetres long and crowned with a sharp point. Flowers are dark red and carried in dense clusters. The prominent blooms are carried mainly from July to February with sporadic blooming at other times.

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Grevillea 'Austraflora Canterbury Gold'
Grevillea ‘Austraflora Canterbury Gold’

Grevillea ‘Austraflora Canterbury Gold’ is a hybrid developed by Austraflora Nursery, Victoria. The hybrid arose in a garden in Canterbury Road, Blackburn, Victoria in 1971 (hence the hybrid name) and was registered in the late 1970s. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Canterbury Gold’ is a low growing shrub.

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Grevillea 'Bedspread'
Grevillea ‘Bedspread’

Grevillea ‘Bedspread’ is a hybrid whose parents are said to be Grevillea ‘Royal Mantle’ and Grevillea wilkinsonii a rare species from southern NSW. It is a dense ground cover with a spread of at least two metres. Dark green leaves are ten centimetres long by five centimetres wide and have serrated margins.

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Grevillea 'Forest Rambler'
Grevillea ‘Forest Rambler’

Grevillea ‘Forest Rambler’ is said to be a hybrid between Grevillea shiressii and one of the umpteen forms of Grevillea juniperina. It is a spreading shrub with bright green, prickly leaves and unusual translucent pale purple-pink flowers. Spring is the main flowering period although some flowers may appear at other times. The flowers are rich in nectar.

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Grevillea 'New Blood' flowers, image Jeff Howes
Grevillea ‘New Blood’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘New Blood’ – A small compact shrub to 0.3 metres tall and to 1.5 metres wide. It is a hybrid of G. juniperina ‘Molonglo’ x G. rhyolitica. Leaves are thin and prickly, mid to dark green, to about 2 cm long by only 0.3 cm wide.

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Grevillea 'Pick o The Crop', image Peter Olde
Grevillea ‘Pick o’ the Crop’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Pick o’ the Crop’ – A low growing shrub to about 0.5 to 1 metre tall, spreading to 3 or more metres wide. It generally has a weeping dense habit.

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Grevillea 'Pink Midget', image Jeff Howes
Grevillea ‘Pink Midget’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Pink Midget’ – A compact shrub growing to 0.5 x 0.5 metres tall and wide.

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Grevillea 'Scarlet Sprite', image Di Clark
Grevillea ‘Scarlet Sprite’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Scarlet Sprite’ – A small shrub that grows to 1 metre tall x 1 metre wide. It is a form of Grevillea rosmarinifolia. It has mid green narrow and stiff-prickly linear leaves, to about 3 cm long by only 0.1 cm wide.

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Grevillea 'Strawberry Smoothie', image Peter Olde
Grevillea ‘Strawberry Smoothie’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Strawberry Smoothie’ – A small shrub that grows to 1 metre tall x 1 metre wide.

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Grevillea 'Winter Delight', image Peter Olde
Grevillea ‘Winter Delight’(cultivar)

Grevillea ‘Winter Delight’ – It is a cross between G. lanigera (a Victorian / NSW species) and G. lavandulacea (a South Australian species).

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Image Alan Fairley
Gynochthodes jasminoidesSweet Morinda

A woody climber or scrambling shrub with stems to 6 meters long.
It has a large natural distribution in NSW, mainly in the coastal subdivisions and extending to some parts of the tablelands and central western slopes. It extends along the coast and inland of Queensland, to the Cape York Peninsula. It also occurs in the very northern parts of the Northern territory and Western Australia. Its southern limit is the north-east of Victoria, extending west to Bairnsdale.

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Hakea actites
Hakea actitesWallum Hakea /

Hakea actites, Wallum Hakea, is a small to tall shrub with a lignotuber. The flowers are in axillary clusters composed of 1-6 white flowers. Blooms appear from May to September when they are both conspicuous and profuse.

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Hakea bakeriana, image Alan Fairley
Hakea bakeriana

Hakea bakeriana – A medium-sized shrub growing to 1 or 2 metres high and 1 to 2 metres wide. It is often multi-stemmed. A medium-sized shrub growing to 1 or 2 metres high to 1 to 2 metres wide. It is often multi-stemmed.

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Hakea bucculenta, image Brian Walters
Hakea bucculentaRed Pokers

Hakea bucculenta – A large shrub to 4 metres tall by 2 metres wide. It is a native of Western Australia, growing on the coast between Geraldton and Hamelin Pool (Shark Bay), on sandplains and flats in heathy scrub and shrublands.

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Hakea constablei, image Alan Fairley
Hakea constablei

Hakea constablei – A compact to open rounded shrub to small tree, growing potentially to 7 metres tall. The new growth is very hairy. It is found on higher sandstone outcrops, in dry sclerophyll forests and woodland, and is endemic to limited areas of the Blue Mountains and Wollondilly catchment in NSW.

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Hakea dactyloides, image Alan Fairley
Hakea dactyloidesFinger Hakea / Broad-leaved Hakea

Hakea dactyloides – An upright single-stemmed bushy shrub or small tree, to usually 5 metres tall. It is common and widespread in NSW and into Victoria, usually found on sandy soils in heath, dry sclerophyll forest and woodland.

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Hakea dohertyi , image Alan Fairley
Hakea dohertyiKowmung Hakea

Hakea dohertyi – An erect shrub to 6 metres tall, with a narrow habit, without a lignotuber. It is confined to a small area in the Kowmung Valley in Kanangra Boyd National Park of NSW and grows in dry sclerophyll forest on ridges. It is listed as being threatened with extinction.

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Hakea eriantha
Hakea eriantha

Hakea eriantha develops into a medium to tall shrub reaching a height of three to four metres in our New England garden. The usual form has lance-like leaves up to 12 centimetres long by 2.5 centimetres wide. East of Armidale, on the Waterfall Way there is a population with very narrow leaves that are only 5 millimetres wide.

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Hakea gibbosa
Hakea gibbosa

Hakea gibbosa is an erect, three metre tall shrub with a conifer-like growth habit. New growth is soft and hairy. Adult leaves are narrow, up to eight centimetres long and rather prickly. Flowers are creamy-yellow and grow in small clusters at the base of leaves.

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Hakea laevipes, image Alan Fairley taken in Heathcote Rd
Hakea laevipesFinger Hakea

Hakea laevipes – An erect and bushy shrub to 3 metres tall, possessing a lignotuber. It is found growing in eastern NSW, in disjunct locations on sandy soils in dry sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath. It also grows in south-east Qld.

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Hakea laurina
Hakea laurinaPincushion Hakea

Hakea laurina, the Pincushion Hakea, is a tall shrub that may reach a height of six metres. Plants in our cold climate garden have reached a height of three metres in about eight years. Dense, globular flower heads appear in late autumn and early winter.

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Hakea macreana
Hakea macraeanaWillow Needlewood, Macrae's Hakea

Hakea macraeana, the Willow Needlewood, is a rounded plant that will develop into a tall shrub or small tree reaching a height of four metres. Growth habit is graceful and willowy. Leaves are bright green, terete (circular cross-section) and tipped with a sharp point. Flowers are white, carried in racemes and cover the branches during the flowering period that extends from August to October.

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Hakea macrorrhyncha
Hakea macrorrhyncha

Hakea macrorrhyncha is a tall, upright shrub reaching a height of four metres. Dark green circular leaves are grooved, crowned with a sharp point and up to nine centimetres long. Copious white flowers cover branches in spring. They are followed by large woody fruits with a prominent beak, covered with rounded blisters and about three centimetres long. The fruits are a prominent feature and large numbers clusters along the branches.

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Hakea microcarpa, image Warren Sheather
Hakea microcarpaSmall-fruited Hakea

Hakea microcarpa – A shrub growing to 2 metres tall and often as wide, with cream-white flowers. It has a wide distribution on the east coast and ranges of Australia from Stanthorpe in SE Queensland, down along the tablelands and western slopes to Tasmania, where it grows in subalpine bogs, or in forest or woodland in damp sites.

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Hakea multilineata
Hakea multilineataGrass-Leaf Hakea

Hakea multilineata is one of many handsome and colourful hakeas from Western Australia. Hakea multilineata is known as the Grass-leaf Hakea and is a medium to tall, upright shrub that has reached a height of five metres in our cold climate garden.

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Hakea nodosa
Hakea nodosaYellow Hakea

Hakea nodosa, Yellow Hakea, is a shrub reaching a height of two metres. Leaves are up to five centimetres long, light green, usually needle-like but sometimes flattened. Yellow flowers are carried in clusters in the leaf axils. They clothe the branches from May to August.

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Hakea orthorrhyncha
Hakea orthorrhynchaBird-beak Hakea

Hakea orthorrhyncha is known as the Bird-beak Hakea and has grown into a two metre tall shrub in our cold climate garden. Leaves are up to 18 centimetres long and needle-like. The bright red to orange-red flowers are borne in clusters on the old wood in autumn and winter.

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Hakea pachyphylla, image Alan Fairley
Hakea pachyphylla

Hakea pachyphylla – A shrub to 2 metres tall, spreading to 1 metre wide, not possessing a lignotuber. It has a naturally restricted occurrence, growing in the upper Blue Mountains west of Sydney, in swampy habitats of wet heath or mallee-heath, mainly on sandy soils / sandstone.

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Hakea petiolaris
Hakea petiolarisSea Urchin Hakea

Hakea petiolaris is known as the Sea Urchin Hakea and develops into a tall shrub or small tree. The creamy-purplish flowers are held in large globular clusters, carried in the leaf axils and on old wood. Honeyeaters are attracted to the nectar rich blooms.

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Hakea platysperma
Hakea platyspermaCricket Ball Hakea

Hakea platysperma, the Cricket Ball Hakea, is a single stemmed spreading shrub reaching a height of 2-3 metres.  The leaves are thick, circular in cross section (terete), up to 12 centimetres long, rigid and sharply pointed. Blooms are cream or slightly reddish, said to be sweetly perfumed and with long, yellowish styles.

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Hakea propinqua, image Alan Fairley
Hakea propinqua

Hakea propinqua – A shrub to 2 metres tall usually but can reach 5 metres, spreading to over 2 metres wide. It is naturally found in a small area around Sydney.

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Hakea purpurea
Hakea purpurea

Hakea purpurea is a rigid, upright shrub that may reach a height of 3 metres. Flowering extends from winter to spring. Red blooms are carried in clusters in the leaf axils. The majority of leaves are either forked or divided into three segments. A few leaves may be entire. All leaves have pointed tips and are up to ten centimetres long.

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Hakea pycnoneura
Hakea pycnoneura

Hakea pycnoneura is a rounded shrub that reaches a height of two metres by the same width. The globular flower clusters are carried in leaf axils. Purplish buds open with purplish-pink perianths and long cream styles. Blooms are very fragrant.

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Hakea salicifolia, image Alan Fairley
Hakea salicifoliaWillow-leaved Hakea

Hakea salicifolia – A large shrub (small tree) up 8 metres tall by several metres wide. It grows naturally in wet sclerophyll forest and rainforest edges, as well as swamp-sclerophyll forests close to the coast, mainly along the NSW coast, extending up the coast into south-east Queensland. It does have a habit of naturalising in some habitats where it does not originally belong, through widespread cultivation.

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Hakea sericea, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Hakea sericeaNeedlebush

Hakea sericea, Silky Hakea or Needlebush is a tall shrub reaching a height of seven metres. Juvenile growth is light green with silky hairs hence the former common name. There is nothing silky about the adult foliage. Leaves are stiff, linear, narrow, dark green and crowned with an extremely sharp point (hence the latter common name).

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Hakea teretifolia, image Heather Miles
Hakea teretifoliaDagger Hakea, Needle bush

Hakea teretifolia – A rigid shrub to 4 metres tall, usually with a narrow untidy spread to about 1 or 2 metres. It is common in sandy heathlands and shrublands in coastal eastern Australia from northern NSW through to Victoria and Tasmania. The new growth has white hairs.

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Hakea 'Burrendong Beauty', image Heather Miles
Hakea ‘Burrendong Beauty’cultivar

Hakea ‘Burrendong Beauty’ – A small, ground-hugging shrub growing to 1.5 metres tall by up to 3 metres wide with a sprawling habit. This cultivar is a hybrid between Hakea petiolaris and H. myrtoides.

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Halgania preissiana
Halgania anagalloides var. Southern (syn: Halgania preissiana)

Halgania anagalloides var. Southern is a member of the Boraginceae family in company with the exotic Borage and Comfrey. It prefers well-drained sites in full sun or light shade. Our specimens cope with frosts and drought. Remove old branches to keep plant dense and bushy. 

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Hardenbergia violaceae. image Heather Miles
Hardenbergia violaceaPurple Coral Pea, Native Sarsaparilla

Hardenbergia violacea, Purple Coral Pea or Native Sarsaparilla, is a well known climber with twining stems. The leaves are glossy green, with prominent veins and up to ten centimetres long. The flowers are pea-shaped, up to one centimetre across, purple, and violet and rarely pink or white. They are carried in large clusters from late winter to early spring. Blooms are both profuse and conspicuous.

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Hibbertia aspera
Hibbertia asperaRough Guinea Flower

Hibbertia aspera, the Rough Guinea Flower, is usually a bushy, dwarf to medium shrub that may spread by suckers. The stems are wiry and roughened. Leaves are up to 25 millimetres long, 10 millimetres wide, elliptical, light to deep green with a rough surface (hence the common name). Yellow flowers are one centimetre across and solitary on slender stalks.

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Hibbertia salicifolia syn. Adrastaea salicifolia, image Alan Fairley
Hibbertia salicifolia syn. Adrastaea salicifoliaGuinea flower, Cut leaf guinea glower or Willow guinea flower

Hibbertia salicifolia is a slender subshrub or undershrub growing up to 2 m tall, found naturally from about the Royal National Park in southern Sydney, New South Wales, along the coast to north-east Queensland. It grows in coastal swamps and wet heath in full sun; and not all that common.

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Hibbertia scandens, image Jeff Howes
Hibbertia scandensClimbing Guinea Flower

Hibbertia scandens, The Climbing Guinea Flower, as the common name indicates is a vigorous climber with stems that may reach five metres in length. Large flowers are about seven centimetres across, bright yellow and solitary. Sporadic flowering occurs throughout the year. Hibbertia scandens is an eye-catching species with its large flowers.

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Hibbertia vestita
Hibbertia vestitaHairy Guinea Flower

Hibbertias are commonly known as Guinea Flowers, referring to the resemblance of the flower shape and colour to the ancient Golden Guinea coin. They flower best when they receive almost full sun; however plants still flower well with less sun than that. Hibbertia vestita is a fairly long-lived species, adaptable to most situations as long as the soil has good drainage. It appreciates the extra bit of water during dry times.

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Hibiscus Gold Haze flower
Hibiscus divaricatus ‘Gold Haze’

Hibiscus ‘Gold Haze’ is a selected hybrid of H. heterophyllus (gold form) and Hibiscus divaricatus. It has large, showy, bright yellow flowers to about 8 to 10 cm in diameter with a red stripe surrounding the petal spot. With Hibiscus plants, the flowers only last for a day or so, however in its natural setting from the top of NSW to the eastern side of Cape York it has a long, nearly continuous flowering period.

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Hibiscus geranioides
Hibiscus geranioidesGeranium Leaf Hibiscus

Hibiscus is a widespread genus of the family Malvaceae, consisting of 250 species, growing in regions ranging from tropical to temperate. Of these species, 35 are native to Australia and are largely restricted to the east coast.

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Homalanthus populifolius, Image Alan Fairley
Homalanthus populifoliusNative Bleeding Heart, Native Poplar

It occurs commonly in NSW, along the entire coastal fringe and parts of the coastal inland, extending west to areas such as the Hunter Valley (Merriwa-Scone), Mt Kaputar National Park near Narrabri. It extends into Queensland, along the coast and parts of the inland to Cooktown. In Victoria, it is thought to be a weed, found in disturbed sites in north-eastern Victoria and around Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay. It is native to New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. It is a serious weed in New Zealand and also a weed in Western Australia.

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Homoranthus prolixus, image Jeff Howes
Homoranthus prolixus

Homoranthus prolixus – A small spreading shrub to about 0.3 metres tall and up to 2 metres wide, creating a moderate cover. It is restricted to a small area in NSW in the North West Slopes and Tablelands, specifically the Inverell and Bendemeer areas. It is typically found growing in amongst granite rocks and boulders on shallow soils, in heath and dry sclerophyll woodland. Listed as threatened with extinction in the wild.

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Hovea lanceolata, image Alan Fairley
Hovea lanceolata

Hovea lanceolata is a member of the Fabaceae family and develops into an upright, small to medium shrub. Leaves are up eight centimetres long, oblong to elliptical, deep green above and greyish-brown with rusty hairs beneath. The pea shaped flowers are bluish purple and borne in axillary racemes. During late winter to early spring the flowers are both conspicuous and profuse.

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Hovea linearis, image Alan Fairley
Hovea linearisCommon Hovea

Hovea linearis occurs predominantly in NSW on the coast, between Newcastle and Nowra but extends to the tablelands and western slopes; also in south-eastern Queensland. Mainly found in sandstone in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands.

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Hovea longifolia, image Alan Fairley
Hovea longifoliaLong-leaved Hovea, Rusty pods

A medium shrub to 3 metres tall, usually with a narrow spread. The stems have dense brown to grey, sometimes partly black, hairs.

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Hovea pannosa, image Alan Fairley
Hovea pannosaRusty Velvet-pods

A medium shrub to, 3 metres tall, usually with a narrow spread. The stems have brown or rusty to dark grey hairs. It is found in NSW and Victoria

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Hovea purpurea, image Alan Fairley
Hovea purpureaVelvet Hovea, Tall Hovea

A shrub to 3 metres tall, with a spread of around 1 metre. Most parts are covered in light to dark grey hairs.
It has a mostly tablelands-occurrence in NSW, growing on the southern, central and northern tablelands and north-western slopes…

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Hovea speciosa, image Alan Fairley
Hovea speciosa

A shrub to 3 metres tall, spreading to about 1 metre wide. Stems are densely hairy with brown to grey-brown or sometimes partly black hairs.

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Howittia trilocularis, image Alan Fairley
Howittia trilocularisBlue Howittia

A spreading-scrambling woody shrub, to 3 metres tall, to several metres wide. It can form dense patches in some habitats.

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Hymenosporum flavum tree, image Heather Miles
Hymenosporum flavumNative Frangipani

Hymenosporum flavum is a member of the Pittosporaceae family and is the only member of the genus. The common name is Native Frangipani and refers to the sweetly scented flowers reminiscent of the exotic frangipani. This is the only characteristic that they have in common.

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Hypocalymma angustifolium closeup
Hypocalymma angustifoliumWhite Myrtle

Hypocalymma is a small genus of about 29 species, all of which occur naturally only in south Western Australia. Hypocalymma angustifolium is the best known members of the genus and has been widely cultivated over a long time. It is an erect shrub with narrow leaves about 25 mm long. The flowers are white or pink. See attached photos of both these forms.

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Indigofera australis flower
Indigofera australisAustral Indigo

Indigofera australis is a plant referred to by many online sites and gardening books as “underutilised”. It definitely should be grown more often as Indigofera australis has very attractive flowers and beautiful coloured foliage. It is an open erect spreading shrub, widespread in southern Australia from the south-east of Western Australia to north-east Queensland.

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Isolepis cernua
Isolepis cernuaFairy Lights

Isolepis cernua, Fairy Lights or Nodding Club-rush, is a member of the Cyperaceae family. Fairy Lights are low-growing, rush-like perennials with a clumping growth habit. Arching, grass-like leaves are light green up to 30 centimetres long. Each stem is crowned by a silvery spikelet (basically a small flower head).

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Isopogen anemonifolius flower
Isopogon anemonifoliusBroad-leaved drumsticksProteaceae

Isopogon anemonifolius is a widespread shrub that occurs in Queensland and along the Coast and Tablelands of New South Wales.

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Isopogon anethifolius, image Alan Fairley
Isopogon anethifoliusNarrow-leaved DrumsticksProteaceae

Isopogon anethifolius – An erect shrub to 3 metres tall by 2 metres wide, with reddish stems and a lignotuber.

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Isopogon dawsonii, image Alan Fairley
Isopogon dawsoniiNepean ConebushProteaceae

Isopogon dawsonii – A shrub to 6 metres high but is usually up to 3 metres tall, and to 3 metres wide.

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Isopogon fletcheri, image Alan Fairley
Isopogon fletcheriFletcher's DrumsticksProteaceae

Isopogon fletcheri – An erect stout shrub to about 1 metre tall by 1 metre wide. It has a lignotuber.

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Isopogon formosus
Isopogon formosusRose Cone-flowerProteaceae

Isopogon formosus is a small, erect or spreading shrub that may reach a height of 1.5 metres and is known as the Rose Cone-flower. The young growth is silky and sometimes reddish. Adult leaves are green to reddish-green, very divided and each segment has a sharp point.

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Isopogon petiolaris
Isopogon petiolaris

Isopogon petiolaris is an eyecatching low mounded ground cover usually less than one metre high by one metre across.  Light green leaves are lobed and up to 14 centimetres long. The petiole (or leaf stalk) is nine centimetres long which is two thirds of the leaf length. The species name refers to the lengthy petiole. The yellow flowers are carried in terminal globular clusters, at least two centimetres across and appear in the warmer months.

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Isopogon prostratus, image Alan Fairley
Isopogon prostratusProstrate Cone-bush

Isopogon prostratus – A prostrate shrub, usually producing a few branches, with reddish branchlets…

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Isotoma axillaris plant
Isotoma axillarisRock Isotome, Showy Isotome, Blue Stars

Isotoma axillaris is widespread from Victoria through New South Wales and southern Queensland. It grows naturally in damp crevices or shallow soil in rocky areas. It is a great small plant, growing to about 40 cm high and about that wide, with a prolific display of blue star flowers that are about 3 cm in diameter.

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Jacksonia scoparia, image Alan Fairley
Jacksonia scopariaWinged Broom-pea Dogwood

Jacksonia scoparia, Dogwood, is a tall shrub or small tree reaching a height of 5 metres, but often smaller. The trunk is dark grey and furrowed. Branches are pendulous and the leaves are usually reduced to scales although young plants and regrowth after plant damage will produce true leaves. In spring and early summer plants produce masses of yellow pea flowers that are sweetly scented and attract butterflies.

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Kennedia rubicunda
Kennedia rubicundaDusky Coral Pea

Kennedia rubicunda, Dusky Coral Pea, is a vigorous climber or creeper. The long stems are either spreading or twining. Leaves are glossy green and divided into three leaflets. The large flowers are pea shaped, up to four centimetres long by two centimetres wide, deep red and held in axillary clusters.

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Kunzea ambigua
Kunzea ambiguaTick Bush / White Kunzea

Kunzea ambigua is known as the Tick Bush or White Kunzea and is usually an erect or spreading shrub that, in our cold climate garden reaches a height of three metres but can reach 4 or 5 in the wild. Small aromatic leaves are tightly clustered along the branches. White fluffy flowers cover plants in late spring and early summer.

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Kunzea aristulata (Mt Cookem), image Alan Fairley
Kunzea aristulata

An erect shrub to 2 metres tall with a 1-metre spread, with young stems hairy. It has a small geographic distribution in NSW, only found in one general location…

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Kunzea axillaris
Kunzea axillaris

Kunzea axillaris is a tall shrub or small tree that may reach a height of eight metres. This would make this Kunzea the tallest species in the world. Branches are pendulous. The small leaves are linear and tightly clustered. White, fluffy flowers are crowded along the stems. In summer plants become covered with blooms. Growth habit, foliage and flowers are attractive features.

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Kunzea 'Badja Carpet'
Kunzea badjaensis

Kunzea badjaensis is a mounded groundcovering shrub, with a spread of several metres, growing to a height of around 1 metres but often less.
It is a rare kunzea, relatively recently described, found only in NSW, at high altitudes on the southern tablelands on Big Badja Mountain in Deua National Park and further south in Wadbilliga National Park, north-east, east and south-east of Cooma.

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Kunzea baxteri (Image: Heather Miles)
Kunzea baxteri Crimson Kunzea / Baxter’s Kunzea

Kunzea baxteri An erect shrub to 3 metres tall, spreading to potentially 4 metres.

It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia, growing close to the west and south coastlines, from as far north as Gingin-Bindoon area (north of Perth), then south and around the corner to the east to Cape Arid National Park and further north. 

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Kunzea bracteolata
Kunzea bracteolata

Kunzea bracteolata is a small shrub that reaches a height of one metre in our garden. The spreading branches reach a length of two metres. Leaves are small, elliptical and bright green. Fluffy flowers cover the branches in mid to late spring. In warmer climates flowering would probably occur earlier.

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Kunzea capitata, image Alan Fairley
Kunzea capitata

Kunzea capitata is an erect or ascending shrub to 2 metres high, (often shorter), usually with a narrow spread, with young stems covered with spreading hairs. 

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Kunzea parvifolia, image Alan Fairley
Kunzea parvifoliaViolet Kunzea

Kunzea parvifolia is a wiry shrub to a height of 1.5 metres, with a spread to 1 metre with its young branches covered with soft hairs. 

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Kunzea rupestris
Kunzea rupestrisRocky Kunzea

Kunzea rupestris is an erect and rigid shrub (reportedly clonal), to about 1.5 to 2 metres high, usually with less than a 1-metre spread. Plants can have a distinctive appearance with ‘gappy’ stems (as if foliage has been pruned out in some places).

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Lambertia formosa flower
Lambertia formosaMountain Devil

Lambertia formosa is a widespread plant of the Sydney Region.  I planted this plant about 25 years ago in my garden in the northern Sydney suburb of Westleigh. It is now approximately 1.6 metres high with multiple branches coming from the base. It is still growing well even though it now receives only dappled morning light and some full late afternoon sun. As well, the soil is much drier very different to the full sun conditions it enjoyed in its early years.

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Leionema ambiens, image Alan Fairley
Leionema ambiensForest Phebalium

A shrub to 2.5 metres high with smooth, round stems, spreading to 1 metre wide.

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Leionema dentatum, image Alan Fairley
Leionema dentatumToothed Phebalium

A shrub or small tree, potentially reaching 6 metres high, with round stems.

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Leionema diosmeum, image Alan Fairley
Leionema diosmeumRutaceae

Leionema spp. have characteristics matching those of other similar Rutaceae genera

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Leionema elatius
Leionema elatiusTall PhebaliumRutaceae

Leionema elatius is a small to medium shrub. Leaves are small, about two centimetres long and strongly aromatic when crushed. This is a characteristic of the genus. The upper surface is smooth, glossy and the midrib is prominent on the undersurface.

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Leionema lachnaeoides, image Alan Fairley
Leionema lachnaeoides

It is found on sandstone outcrop (cliff tops and benches) in heathland and mallee-shrubland.

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Leionema lamprophyllum, image Alan Fairley
Leionema lamprophyllumShiny PhebaliumRutaceae

Leionema lamprophyllum syn. Phebalium lamprophyllum is a large shrub that grows on heathland on exposed ridges at higher altitudes in New South Wales, ACT and Victoria. It prefers well drained, slightly acid soils with some protection from full sun, but not heavy shade. Grows without additional watering except in dry conditions.

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Leionema praetermissumRutaceae

A shrub to 2 metres high with prominent warts on stems and small stellate hairs.

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Leionema scopulinum, image Alan Fairley
Leionema scorpulinumForest PhebaliumRutaceae

A shrub to 2 metres high with angled stems with stellate (star-shaped hairs).

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Leionema sympetalum, image Alan Fairley
Leionema sympetalumRylestone BellRutaceae

he fruit of Leionema is a schizocarp-capsule – which splits into equal segments on maturity which each segment called a coccus (plural cocci).

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Leionema ‘Green Screen’cultivar

A shrub to 2 metres high by 2 metres wide. It is a hybrid of Leionema elatius and L. lamprophyllum

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Lemna minor
Lemna minorDuckweed

Lemna minor, Duckweed, is a floating aquatic that forms dense, bright green mats. Plants have one, two or three leaves with a root hanging in the water. Leaves are oval and up to eight millimetres long. They have small air spaces to aid buoyancy. Reproduction is mainly by division.

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Leptospermum arachnoides, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum arachnoides

Leptospermum arachnoides – A flexible, spreading shrub that grows to 2 metres high and up to 2 metres wide. It is typically found in moister habitats, in wet heath and sclerophyll woodland / forests, mainly on sandstone / sand and granite soils. Its range is along the entirety of the NSW coast and tablelands subdivisions, just into the Western Slopes, extending far south almost to  Bega and north just over the Queensland border.

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Leptospermum continentale, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum continentalePrickly Teatree

Leptospermum continentale – An upright dense to sparse shrub that grows to 2 metres tall, usually with a narrow habit. Its northern extent in NSW is around Gulgong, Merriwa and Mudgee, and it extends east and south into Victoria and then into South Australia. It is widespread in heath and woodland in well-drained sandy soil as well as swampy areas.

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Leptospermum emarginatum, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum emarginatumTwin-flower Teatree

A large shrub growing to 4 metres tall by 2 metres wide. It has a natural distribution of usually being within 100 km of the coast, extending south from Wisemans Ferry and Katoomba in the Greater Sydney area

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Leptospermum epacridoideum, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum epacridoideum

A shrub growing to about 2 metres tall by 1 metre wide.

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Leptospermum grandifolium, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum grandifoliumMountain Teatree, Woolly Teatree

A shrub or small tree, capable of reaching over 6 metres tall, with smooth bark that is shed in papery strips or flakes. It is widespread with the most northern and disjunct records occurring in NSW around the Lismore and Armidale areas, then south around Newnes State Forest…

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Leptospermum juniperinum, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum juniperinumPrickly Teatree

A shrub growing to 3 metres tall by 1 to 2 metres wide with rough bark. has a large distribution, growing along the entire NSW coast and just into the central and southern tablelands

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Leptospermum macrocarpum (red), image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum macrocarpumLarge-fruited Teatree

A shrub to 2 metres tall by 2 metres wide, with rough and gnarled bark. It has a limited distribution, growing mainly in the greater Blue Mountains of Sydney, from Springwood to Lithgow and into Kurrajong and Mt Wilson…

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Leptospermum morrisonii, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum morrisonii

A large shrub (small-tree) growing to 5 metres tall by several metres wide. It has a natural distribution, from between Kandos and Lithgow, heading south and south-east through the central and southern tablelands and coast divisions to around Bega.

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Leptospermum myrtifolium, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum myrtifoliumMyrtle Teatree, Grey Teatree, Swamp Teatree

A shrub to a height of 3 metres by 1-2 metres wide.

It has a distribution mainly on the tablelands of NSW, with records in the Armidale and Glen Innes areas, extending south through the central tablelands, extending to the western slopes, with most of the extent on the southern tablelands, extending into eastern Victoria towards Melbourne.

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Leptospermum obovatum, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum obovatumRiver Teatree

A shrub producing dense, often pendulous foliage to about 2 metres tall by 1 metre wide.

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Leptospermum petersonii, image Heather Miles
Leptospermum petersoniiLemon-scented tea tree

Leptospermum petersonii is a tree to about 5 metres tall and to 4 metres wide with flaky bark and soft light green foliage. It is tough and hardy, fast-growing, easily pruned and suitable for a wide range of positions.

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Leptospermum petraeum, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum petraeumMyrtaceae

Leptospermum petraeum – A spreading and stiff shrub to 3 metres tall by 1 metre wide. It has a very limited distribution, growing around the Kanangra area in Kanangra-Boyd National Park in the Central Tablelands of NSW

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Leptospermum polygalifolium, image Heather Miles
Leptospermum polygalifoliumTantoon, Jelly Bush

A small to large shrub (small tree) growing to 6 metres tall by 5 metres wide. This species is known to be cultivated commonly and may be marketed under the name L. flavescens.

It has a wide distribution in NSW with a variety of forms, growing from south-eastern NSW (around Bega and Lake Eucumbene), through the south coast, central coast and eastern part of the central tablelands divisions, right up through the central as well as north western plains, northern tablelands and north coast divisions. It extends up through Queensland to Cape York.

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Leptospermum rotundifolium, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum rotundifoliumRound-leaf Teatree

A slender and upright shrub to 3 metres tall by up to 3 metres wide. It has a distribution south from Wollongong in NSW, west to around Bowral and Marulan, extending south to near Braidwood and between Ulladulla and Batemans Bay.

It has a distribution south from Wollongong in NSW, west to around Bowral and Marulan, extending south to near Braidwood and between Ulladulla and Batemans Bay.

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Leptospermum rupicola, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum rupicola

A low-growing shrub to 1 metre tall. It has a restricted distribution, mainly growing in the Katoomba area in the Blue Mountains of NSW, with a somewhat disjunct occurrence north at Glen Davis, and with some old records in the southern highlands (Berrima) and Kangaroo Valley.   

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Leptospermum scoparium, image Heather Miles
Leptospermum scopariumManuka

A medium shrub to 2 metres tall by 1 metre wide. It is found on the south coast of NSW, south from Mt Imlay in the Burrawangs, east of Boydtown, extending south through Victoria and Tasmania.

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Leptospermum sejunctum, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum sejunctumBomaderry Teatree

A comparatively smaller shrub, growing to 1.5 metres tall by 1 metre wide.

It has a very limited distribution, with records confined to the Nowra area and a short distance south-west of Nowra, as well as between Nowra and Braidwood.

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Leptospermum spectabile, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum spectabile

A shrub growing to a height of 3 metres by 1 to 2 metres wide. This plant is known to be cultivated, despite its limited distribution in the wild and is available commercially.

It has a very limited distribution, found along the Colo River of NSW, mostly between Wisemans Ferry and Colo Heights, extending up the Putty Road.

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Leptospermum sphaerocarpum, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum sphaerocarpumRound fruited tea-tree

A shrub to a height of 2 metres, with up to 1-metre spread. It has a distribution from about Blackheath in the Blue Mountains of NSW, extending north through Lithgow, …

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Leptospermum squarrosum, image Alan Fairley
Leptospermum squarrosumPeach-blossom Teatree

An erect shrub, growing to a height up to 4 metres.

It is common in the Sydney area on sandstone, occurring as far north as Gosford, Peats Ridge and Mangrove Creek, extending south through the Royal NP and onto Appin and Corrimal, then with several, somewhat-disjunct, populations: from Blaxland to Lithgow in the Blue Mountains; Robertson to Jamberoo-area; Bundanoon-area; all around Jervis Bay; and then west of Milton in Morton NP…..

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Leptospermum 'Aphrodite'
Leptospermum ‘Aphrodite’(cultivar)

Leptospermum ‘Aphrodite’ is a medium to tall shrub that reaches a height of at least two metres in our cold climate garden and develops into a dense shrub. Foliage is lush green. In spring the branches become covered with bright pink flowers. A wide range of native insects are attracted to the flowers. Light pruning after flowering is appreciated.

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Leptospermum 'Cardwell', image H Miles
Leptospermum ‘Cardwell’(cultivar)

A small to large shrub growing to 3 metres tall by 3 metres wide. This cultivar has been popular in the past and may be marketed under the name L. flavescens ‘Cardwell’.

It has a dense weeping habit and can spread more widely than it is tall. It has been in cultivation for several decades.

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Leptospermum 'Copper Glow'
Leptospermum ‘Copper Glow’(cultivar)

A small shrub growing to 3 metres tall by 2 metres wide with arching branches
It is reported to be a form of Leptospermum polygalifolium and was registered by Ray Brown of the Illawarra Grevillea Park at Bulli…..

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Leptospermum 'Horizontalis' in the middle, image Heather Miles
Leptospermum ‘Horizontalis’(cultivar)

A small spreading-sprawling shrub to about 1 metre tall by 2 to 3 metres wide.

It is reportedly a form of L. continentale collected in heathland from Portland, Victoria in 1967. It was registered under this name in 1985.

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Leptospermum 'Lavender Queen' (Image: Heather Miles)
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Leptospermum petersonii, image Heather Miles
Leptospermum ‘Lemon Hedge’(cultivar)

Leptospermum ‘Lemon Hedge’ is a narrow, upright shrub to 2.5–3 metres tall and 1–1.5 m wide with light green foliage which can have red tips. It does have small white flowers, but is grown for the foliage rather than the flowers. It is a popular screening plant with soft foliage for narrow positions.

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Leptospermum 'Merinda'
Leptospermum ‘Merinda’(cultivar)Myrtaceae
Leptospermum  'Mesmer Eyes'
Leptospermum ‘Mesmer Eyes’

Leptospermum ‘Mesmer Eyes’ was developed in a breeding programme, by Bywong Nursery, from crosses between a form of Leptospermum scoparium, Leptospermum macrocarpum and Leptospermum deuense, a rare New South Wales Tea-tree. Leptospermum ‘Mesmer Eyes’ is a shrub that will reach a height of 1.5 metres with a spread of one metre.

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Leptospermum 'Pacific Beauty', image Warren Sheather
Leptospermum ‘Pacific Beauty’(cultivar)

A small to large shrub growing to 2 metres tall by 3 metres wide.

It is formally described as Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. tropicum (syn: L. flavescens) and is reported to be from a natural population on the east coast of Hinchinbrook Island (northern Queensland).

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Leptospermum 'Purple Haze', image Jeff Howes
Leptospermum ‘Purple Haze’

A dense shrub growing to 1.5 metres tall and 1 metre wide. The small opposite leaves are narrow to elliptic, to 8 mm long by 4 mm wide, hairless and light green in colour.

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Leptospermum 'Merinda' (Image: Heather Miles)
Leptospermum ‘Merinda’cultivar

A small shrub growing to 1 metre tall by 1 to 2 metres wide with arching branches. It is reported to be a hybrid of Leptospermum ‘Pink Cascade’ and L. ‘Aphrodite’.

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Leptospermum 'Piccolo', image Jeff Howes
Leptospermum ‘Piccolo’cultivar

A dense shrub growing to 1 metre tall by 1 metre wide. It originated out of Bywong Nursery as a selected form and likely has links to L. ‘Cardwell’ and ‘L. Rhiannon’.

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Leptpspermum 'Pink Cascade', image Heather Miles
Leptospermum ‘Pink Cascade’cultivar

A small shrub growing to 1 metre tall by 1.5 metres wide, with an arching / weeping habit. It is a hybrid…

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Leptospermum 'Rudolph'
Leptospermum ‘Rudolph’

Leptospermum ‘Rudolph’ is a hybrid developed by Bywong Nursery in southern NSW. Its parents are L. spectabile and a burgundy leafed form of L. morrisonii. Leptospermum ‘Rudolph’ is a medium, upright shrub with purplish foliage and large bright red flowers. Both parents have provided this hybrid with flower and foliage colour.

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Leptospermum 'Tickled Pink', image Heather Miles
Leptospermum ‘Tickled Pink’cultivar

A medium, upright and spreading shrub, growing to 2 metres tall by 1.5 metres wide

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Libertia paniculata
Libertia paniculataBranching grass-flag

Libertia paniculata is widespread in rainforest and wet open forest on coast and adjacent ranges from south-east Queensland to eastern Victoria. The other Australian species is Libertia pulchella. They are both perennial herbs with grass-like leaves arising from an underground rhizome.

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Liparophyllum exalatum
Liparophyllum exaltatumErect Marsh Flower

Liparophyllum exaltatum is a member of the Menyanthaceae family and is commonly known as Erect Marsh Flower. It is a perennial aquatic herb with an underground stem and fleshy roots. The dark green, thickish leaves are kidney-shaped, round or heart-shaped. They are held on 75 centimetre long stalks.

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Lissanthe strigosa
Lissanthe strigosaPeach Heath

Lissanthe strigosa is a member of the Ericaceae family and is known the Peach Heath. Lissanthe strigosa is one of a number of small shrubs that have regenerated on our property Yallaroo east of Armidale, after sheep were removed. Lissanthe strigosa is a small, upright shrub reaching a height of one metre. The species is said to sucker but we have seen no evidence of suckering.

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Lomandra leucocephala, image John Knight
Lomandra leucocephalaWoolly Mat-rush, Irongrass

Lomandra leucocephala occurs naturally on inland drier slopes of the Great Dividing Range of Queensland and northern NSW. This slow growing Lomandra has 25mm balls of fluffy white flowers which exude a lovely caramel fragrance. The leaves are usually very narrow (1 to 2mm wide) with white leaf sheaths.

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Lomandra multiflora
Lomandra multiflora

Lomandra multiflora is found in the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and also in Papua New Guinea. I have been growing Lomandra multiflora in my garden in the northern Sydney suburb of Westleigh for many years. My plant is growing in a thin layer of topsoil over a clay sub soil and receive little additional watering once they were established

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Tanika Lomandra plants
Lomandra Tanika or Tanika Lomandra (Lomandra ‘LM 300’)Spiny-head Mat-rush or Basket Grass

I have been growing Lomandra ‘Tanika’ in my garden in the northern Sydney suburb of Westleigh for many years. It is an improved compact fine leaf form of the popular and widely grown Lomandra longifolia and you can classify the plant as a ‘strappy leaf’ plant. My plants are growing in a thin layer of topsoil over a clay sub soil and receive little additional watering once they were established.

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Lomatia fraseriTree Lomatia, Forest Lomatia, Silky Lomatia

Lomatia fraseri is a member of the Proteaceae family and is known as Tree Lomatia, Forest Lomatia or Silky Lomatia. The species is a shrub or small tree reaching a maximum height of eight metres. The species is characterised by a variety of leaf shapes.

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Lomatia silaifolia - inflorescence with individual flowers
Lomatia silaifoliaCrinkle Bush, Wild / Native Parsley, Fern-leaved Lomatia

Lomatia silaifolia is found across much of eastern Australia east of the Great Dividing Range as far south as Jervis Bay. It grows as an understory shrub in open forest on sandstone soils. My Lomatia silaifolia plant is now many years old and is growing on a thinnish layer of soil over a clay base. My garden in Sydney’s northern suburbs receives morning and early afternoon sun and my plant is flowering for the first time for many years, due to this year’s ample soil moisture.

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Lophostemon confertus, image Alan Fairley
Lophostemon confertusBrush Box, Queensland Box, Brisbane Box, Pink Box, Box Scrub, and Vinegar Tree.

A potentially large tree, potentially reaching 40 metres tall in its natural environment but much smaller in cultivation.
It has rough brown bark on lower trunk and smooth pinkish brown bark on upper trunk and branches.

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Lysiosepalum involucratum
Lysiosepalum involucratum

I have been growing Lysiosepalum involucratum for many years, in my garden in the northern Sydney suburb of Westleigh. It is a small rounded shrub that grows to about 60 cms high and one metre wide and produces masses of pink to mauve cup shaped flowers, from late winter to spring. The petals are very small and the sepals provide the colourful parts of the flowers. The rough, narrow leaves are 10 – 25 mm long and grey-green in colour.

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Lythrium salicaria
Lythrum salicariaPurple Loosestrife

Lythrum salicaria known commonly as Purple Loosestrife, is an interesting species native not only to Australia but widespread in Europe, Asia and North America. In Australia the species occurs in all eastern states including Tasmania. This perennial herb reaches a height of 1.5 metres and usually has a number of erect stems. Leaves are up to seven centimetres long and may be opposite or in whorls of three. Flowers are held in long, terminal spikes and are pink-purple or bluish. Flowering extends from November to May. The blooms are an eye-catching feature.

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Marsilea mutica, image Alan Fairley
Marsilea muticaBanded Nardoo

Marsilea mutica, Banded Nardoo, is a member of the Marsileaceae family. There are about 65 species worldwide with 6 endemic to Australia. They are aquatic ferns that grow in wet soils and still to slow moving water. This plant has a long, creeping rootstock. The fronds resemble aquatic four-leaf clovers. Each leaflet is up to five centimetres long, wedge-shaped, bright green with a brownish band about halfway along the frond.

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Melaleuca alternifolia, image Warren Sheather
Melaleuca alternifoliaSnow-in-Summer

Melaleuca alternifolia is a tall shrub that reaches a height of seven metres. Bark is papery and peels away in strips. Foliage is light green and aromatic. Valuable Tea Tree oil is extracted from the leaves. White flowers are carried in many flowered spikes and are profuse and conspicuous.

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Melaleuca armillaris, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca armillarisBracelet Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca armillaris, Bracelet Honey-myrtle, grows into a tall spreading shrub or small tree. The leaves are light green and narrow. In spring and summer plants become covered with white bottlebrush-like flowers which attract a range of insects.

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Melaleuca biconvexa, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca biconvexa

A shrub or small tree, up to 10 metres tall, though occasionally as high as 20 metres. It has typical paperbark.

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Melaleuca blaeriifolia
Melaleuca blaeriifolia

Melaleuca blaeriifolia is a small, spreading shrub that reaches a height of one metre with a similar spread. The small leaves are oval, may be spirally arranged around the branches and are bright green. Small flower heads are yellowish-green to green. They may be carried on the ends of branches or on old wood. Flowering extends through spring and summer.

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Melaleuca bracteata flowers
Melaleuca bracteataBlack Tea Tree

Melaleuca bracteata, Black Tea Tree grows into a small tree. The leaves are dark green, oval and scattered along the branches. Each leaf is equipped with a sharp point. Flowers are white and carried in clusters on or near the ends of the branches. The flowering season extends from August to November.

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Melaleuca brevifolia flowers
Melaleuca brevifoliaMallee Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca brevifolia is known as the Mallee Honey-myrtle and is a medium to tall shrub.  Leaves are small, narrow, about one centimetres long, tightly clustered and spirally arranged around the stems. It has very showy white or cream flowers.

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Melaleuca capitata, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca capitata

A shrub to 2 metres tall by up to 2 metres wide. It has a restricted natural distribution in New South Wales

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Melaleuca cardiophylla
Melaleuca cardiophyllaUmbrella Bush

Melaleuca cardiophylla is known as the Umbrella Bush and is a small to medium shrub with intertwined branches. Tiny stem-clasping leaves are heart shaped (hence the species name). White flowers are carried in small clusters along the branches.

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Melaleuca deanei, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca deaneiDeane's Melaleuca / Deane’s Paperbark

Melaleuca deanei is a shrub to 3 metres high by up to 2 metres wide with fibrous, flaky bark.

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Melaleuca decora, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Melaleuca decoraWhite-feather Honeymyrtle

Melaleuca decora is a very tall shrub or small tree that may reach a height of 12 metres. The bark is light brown and papery. Leaves are light green, about 1.5 centimetres long and crowned with a point. Sweetly scented, white flowers are carried in spikes with individual flowers widely spaced.

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Melaleuca decussata
Melaleuca decussataCross-leaved Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca decussata, Cross-leaved Honey-myrtle, is a tall, rounded shrub reaching a height of three metres. Small leaves are arranged in two pairs of opposite rows forming a cross when viewed from above (hence the common name). Mauve flowers are held in small, cylindrical spikes on short lateral branches.

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Melaleuca diosmatifolia
Melaleuca diosmatifoliaRosy Honey-myrtle

A shrub to 3 metres high (sometimes larger) by up to 2 metres wide, with hard and rough bark (not paperbark despite the common names).

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Melaleuca diosmifolia
Melaleuca diosmifolia

Melaleuca diosmifolia is a dense shrub reaching a height of three metres. Leaves are spirally arranged, elliptical and crowded around the stems. Juvenile leaves are light green while adult leaves become darker. Flowers are arranged in cylindrical, bottlebrush-like, lime-green spikes. The spikes are an unusual colour. Flowering occurs in spring and early summer.

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Melaleuca elliptica
Melaleuca ellipticaGranite Honey-myrtle / Granite Bottlebrush

Melaleuca elliptica is a native of the southwest of Western Australia and is one of a large number of melaleucas from the west with great horticultural potential. It can reach a height of five metres. The red blooms are profuse, conspicuous and bird-attracting.

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Melaleuca ericifolia, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca ericifoliaSwamp Paperbark

Melaleuca ericifolia is a tall shrub or small tree known as the Swamp Paperbark. Bark is papery and grey to brown. Juvenile growth is bright green. Adult leaves are dark green, linear and up to 15 millimetres long. Flower heads are dense, terminal, cylindrical, white to cream and about three centimetres long.

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Melaleuca fulgens
Melaleuca fulgensScarlet Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca fulgens, known as the Scarlet Honey-myrtle, is an erect shrub reaching a height of three metres. The leaves are narrow, aromatic and up to four centimetres long. Flowers may be scarlet, pinkish-red, apricot or purple.

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Melaleuca fulgens subsp. steedmanii
Melaleuca fulgens subsp. steedmanii

Melaleuca steedmanii is a native of Western Australia and is one of a large number of colourful species from the west. Most are virtually unknown in cultivation but have great horticultural potential. This is a medium to tall shrub that may reach a height of three metres. Prune it to prevent it becoming straggly and keep plants bushy and blooming bounteously. A memorable sight in full flower.

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Melaleuca gibbosa
Melaleuca gibbosaSlender Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca gibbosa, the Slender Honey-myrtle, is a medium-sized shrub reaching a height of two metres.  The small leaves are stalkless, tightly clustered around the stems, obovate to ovate in shape and arranged in two pairs of opposite rows. The tips of the leaves curve inward. The mauve to pink flowers attract birds and insects.

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Melaleuca huegelii
Melaleuca huegeliiChenille Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca huegelii, known as the Chenille Honey-myrtle, may develop into a tall shrub reaching a height of five metres. Leaves are small, almost triangular in shape and aromatic. The pure white flowers are held in terminal spikes and cover plants in early summer.

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Melaleuca hypericifolia, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca hypericifoliaHillock Bush

A large woody shrub or small tree growing to potentially 6 metres in height; often seen as a sprawling shrub to about 3 metres tall and 2 metres wide, with papery bark.

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Melaleuca incana
Melaleuca incanaGrey Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca incana is a species common in cultivation. Known as the Grey Honey-myrtle, this medium shrub has soft, weeping, grey-green foliage. Small bottlebrush-shaped, yellowish-green flowers appear en masse in spring. This is a triple-headed plant because the growth habit, foliage and flowers are all attractive features.

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Melaleuca 'Velvet Cushion'
Melaleuca incana ‘Velvet Cushion’

Melaleuca incana ‘Velvet Cushion’ is a dwarf form of Melaleuca incana and develops into a compact, rounded shrub 60 centimetres high by 60 centimetres wide. Soft, hairy grey leaves are carried on pendulous branches. Small cream brushes appear in late spring and early summer.

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Melaleuca irbyana
Melaleuca irbyanaSwamp Tea Tree

Melaleuca irbyana, Swamp Tea Tree, develops into a large shrub or small tree in the wild. In our cold climate garden plants only reach a height of about one metre. Plants, in another local garden, have grown into a similar size.

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Melaleuca lateritia
Melaleuca lateritiaRobin Red-breast Bush

Melaleuca lateritia, Robin Red-breast Bush, is an erect shrub that reaches a height of one to two metres. Light green, aromatic, linear leaves are two centimetres long. The bottlebrush-shaped flower spikes are orange-red, up to nine centimetres long with the main flowering period in summer with some blooms appearing in autumn and early winter. The flower spikes are visited by honeyeaters.

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Melaleuca linariifolia, image Heather Miles
Melaleuca linariifoliaSnow-In-Summer, Narrow-leaved Paperbark, Flax-leaved paperbark, budiur (Gadigal People)

A tree potentially reaching 12 metres with white to creamy papery bark.

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Melaleuca macronychia
Melaleuca macronychia

Melaleuca macronychia is a medium-sized shrub that will reach a height of 3 metres with many branches. Leaves are lanceolate, blue-green and up to 4 centimetres long. The striking bright red flowers are held in large, cylindrical spikes, up to 6 cm long, and carried on short lateral branches. Flowering begins in summer and continues for many months.

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Melaleuca micromera
Melaleuca micromera

Melaleuca micromera is a shrub reaching a height of 1.5 metres. When not in flower, it resembles a miniature conifer and when blooming with its small, yellow, globular flower heads, it bears a resemblance to a small wattle. Plants are a mass of colour in spring.

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Melaleuca nesophila flower
Melaleuca nesophilaShowy Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca nesophila is known as the Showy Honey-myrtle and will usually develop into a tall shrub or small tree. In our cold climate garden plants have reached a height of three metres in more than ten years. Plants are upright, stiff with grayish, papery bark.

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Melaleuca nodosa, image Heather Miles
Melaleuca nodosaPrickly-leaved Paperbark

A large shrub to small tree, growing to 10 m tall in some cases but can also be seen growing as a rounded shrub to 2 metres tall, with corky to papery bark.

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Melaleuca parvistaminea, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca parvistamineaRough-barked Honey-myrtle

A shrub or small tree to about 4 metres tall with fibrous rough bark.

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Melaleuca pentagona
Melaleuca pentagona

Melaleuca pentagona is a medium shrub that has reached a height of three metres in our cold climate garden. Leaves may be rounded to oblong and a few centimetres long. Pink to purplish, rounded flower clusters appear in spring and are about two centimetres across. They are carried on the ends of branches and in leaf bases. Blooms are both conspicuous and profuse.

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Melaleuca pulchella
Melaleuca pulchellaClaw Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca pulchella, Claw Honey-myrtle, is a small shrub with a spread of 1.5 metres. The branches are pendulous and spill onto the ground. Small leaves are light green and oval to oblong in shape. Mauve flowers are carried in clusters with their staminal bundles curling inwards similar in appearance to a claw (hence the common name).

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Melaleuca quadrifaria
Melaleuca quadrifariaLimestone Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca quadrifaria, Limestone Honey-myrtle, is a tall shrub with creamy-white flowers that may reach a height of five metres. This many-branched shrub carries crowded, linear leaves that curve upward, a distinctive feature. They are five millimetres long and arranged in pairs around the stems.

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Melaleuca quinquenerviaBroad-leaved Paperbark

Melaleuca quinquenervia, Broad-leaved Paperbark, is a medium to tall tree. The bark is papery and peels off in strips. Leaves are alternate, lanceolate to elliptical, 30-70 millimetres long, usually with five prominent veins and with a stiff, leathery texture.

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Malaleuca radula
Melaleuca radulaGraceful Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca radula, known as Graceful Honey-myrtle, is a native of Western Australia which bulges at the seams with interesting and colourful melaleucas. Many species are not yet in cultivation. It is an open shrub with mauve flowers that will reach a height of 2 metres.

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Melaleuca sieberi, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca sieberi

A small tree, usually growing to 5 metres tall, with white, grey or brown papery bark.

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Melaleuca squamea, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca squameaSwamp Honey-myrtle

A shrub growing to 3 metres high (sometimes to 6 metres) with corky to rough and scaly bark.

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Melaleuca squarrosa, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca squarrosaScented Paperbark

A shrub to tree, growing to 12 metres tall but often seen much smaller. It has white to grey papery bark.

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Melaleuca styphelioidesPrickly Paperbark

Melaleuca styphelioides, Prickly Paperbark, is a medium tree that may reach a height of 20 metres. The papery bark peels off in strips. Leaves are ovate, dark green, up to 15 millimetres long and crowned with a sharp point (hence the common name). The prickly foliage provides nesting sites for small native birds.

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Melaleuca thymifolia, image Alan Fairley
Melaleuca thymifoliaThyme-leaf Honey-myrtle

Melaleuca thymifolia, Thyme-leaf Honey-myrtle, is one of a number of small melaleucas that reach a maximum height of 1.5 metres. It has a possible spread of 3 metres. Leaves are small, bluish-green and spicily aromatic when crushed (reflecting the species and common names). It is an east coast species with a wide distribution.

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Melaleuca tortifolia
Melaleuca tortifolia

Melaleuca tortifolia is a tall shrub reaching a height of 4 metres. Bark is flaky. Leaves are 1.5 centimetres long, ovate to lanceolate, slightly twisted with a point. Flowers are carried in dense clusters, 2 centimetres long, white and sometimes pink, in spring.

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Melaleuca violacea
Melaleuca violacea

Melaleuca violacea is a native of Western Australia and is a small shrub, reaching a height of less one metre with a spread of 1.5 metres. This species has layered branches that form an interesting flat top. Mauve-purple flowers are carried in lateral or axillary clusters during spring. The clusters are small but what the blooms lack in size they make up for in quantity. During the flowering period the stems are covered in flowers.

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Melaleuca wilsonii
Melaleuca wilsoniiWilson’s Honey Myrtle

Melaleuca wilsonii, Wilson’s Honey-myrtle, is a dense shrub that reaches a height of two metres. Leaves are decussate (having a cross-like arrangement when viewed from above), linear and pointed. Flower spikes are deep pink to mauve-purple. Spikes are carried on old wood and may be very long sometimes exceeding 10 centimetres in length. Blooms are both prominent and prolific.

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Melaleuca 'Ulladulla Beacon'
Melaleuca ‘Ulladulla Beacon’

Melaleuca ‘Ulladulla Beacon’ is a low growing form of M. hypericifolia that was selected from a wild population on coastal headlands near Ulladulla, New South Wales. The cultivar was registered in 1985. ‘Ulladulla Beacon’ is a low, spreading mounded ground cover that reaches a height of 50 centimetres with a spread of at least 1.5 metres.

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Melichrus urceolatus
Melichrus urceolatusUrn Heath. First Nations People: Mukrum

Melichrus urceolatus This erect to spreading shrub (‘epacrid’) reaches a maximum height of 1.5 metres with a spread of 1 metre.
It is a very common shrub throughout the tablelands and western slopes of NSW. It gets into some coastal areas, especially south of the Southern Highlands and the north coast but is not often seen close to the coast. It extends into the north-east and northern-central parts of Victoria, west to about Stawell. It extends into Queensland, through the coast and inland to north of Cairns.

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Melicytus dentatus,
image Paul Maurice
Melicytus dentatusTree Violet

An erect to spreading shrub, growing to around 5 metres high and up to 5 or so metres across (sometimes a small tree); sometimes stunted or prostrate in alpine areas, with prickly stems due to long axillary spines.

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Micromyrtus blakelyi, image Dan Clarke
Micromyrtus blakelyi

Micromyrtus blakelyi A low spreading shrub to about 0.6 metres tall by 0.5 metres wide.

It has a very small natural distribution – restricted to areas north-west of Sydney, close to the Hawkesbury River. It is found in the localities of South Maroota and Maroota as well as Canoelands and north of Mooney Mooney; south to Berowra.
It grows on sandstone platforms and sheet in heathlands on ridgetops and upper valleys. It acts as a ‘bonsai’ shrub in these habitats.
It is a listed threatened species in the wild.

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Micromyrtus ciliata flower
Micromyrtus ciliataFringed Heath-myrtle

Micromyrtus ciliata is found from south-eastern New South Wales through western Victoria to south-eastern South Australia and grows in a variety of habitats from sandy coastal heaths to rocky slopes. It is a low spreading shrub with long arched and tapered branches. The plant will grow to about 1.2 metres wide and up to one metre high.

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Micromyrtus minutiflora (Image: Alan Fairley)
Micromyrtus minutiflora

Micromyrtus minutiflora is a slender spreading shrub to 2.5 metres high, often with a narrow spread to 1 metre, with a few to many narrow and arching stems, and possibly growing by suckering. 

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Monotoca elliptica in Kamay Botany Bay National Park in November 2018, showing ripening fruit, image by Peter Shelton
Monotoca ellipticaTree Broom Heath

Monotoca elliptica, Tree Broom Heath, is generally a medium shrub 1–4 m, although Victorian references indicate up to 8 m. The scattering of red fruit among the green foliage can be quite eye-catching.

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Myoporum bateae
Myoporum bateaeBoobialla

Myoporum bateae is an open shrub that reaches a height of three metres. Leaves are long, narrow, linear, sticky, dotted with glands and up to 15 centimetres long. Honey bees visit the leaves, possibly as the glands exude a honey-attracting secretion. Flowers may be white or pale purplish pink. From 4 to 10 flowers are carried in the axils of the leaves. The main flowering period is spring and summer with sporadic flowering at other times.

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Myoporum betcheanum

Myoporum betcheanum is a tall shrub or small tree that may reach a height of eight metres. Leaves are linear, up to six centimetres long and one centimetre wide. They are toothed and taper to a point. The flowers are white and 5 millimetres across. From one to eight flowers are carried in leaf axils between December and May. Globular fruits are white or brown and translucent.

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Myoporum floribundum
Myoporum floribundumSlender Myoporum

Myoporum floribundum, the Slender Myoporum, is a rather sparse shrub that reaches a height of two metres in our cold climate garden. Branches are spreading and leaves are long and up to 13 centimetres long. They hang from the branches giving the plant a “wilted” appearance. This is far from the case as plants have proved to be hardy, drought resistant and tolerate frost. The foliage has a rather sour smell when wet.

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Myoporum viscosum
Myoporum viscosumSticky Boobialla

Myoporum viscosum, the Sticky Boobialla, is a native of Victoria and South Australia. It is a medium shrub that will reach a height of two metres, making an ideal hedge plant. The leaves are up to 11 centimetres long by 3 centimetres wide, lanceolate to ovate, glossy and deep green with finely toothed margins.

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Myriophyllum species
Myriophyllum speciesWater Milfoils

Myriophyllum species are known as Water Milfoils and are members of the Haloragaceae family. Our skill at the taxonomy of this genus leaves a lot to be described. This article will describe Water Milfoils in general as they are very similar in appearance. Myriophyllums are freshwater aquatic plants whose distribution is cosmopolitan. There are about 69 species with Australia the centre of diversity with 37 endemic species and 5 naturalised.

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Notelaea longifolia, image Alan Fairley
Notelaea longifoliaLarge Mock-olive, Large-leaved Olive

A tree to potentially 9 metres tall, with a canopy to a few metres across.  It is often seen as a shrub in much of its habitat.

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Notelaea microcarpa, image Alan Fairley
Notelaea microcarpaNative Olive

A tree to 10 metres high, sometimes multi-stemmed.

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Notelaea neglecta, image Alan Fairley
Notelaea neglecta

A shrub, growing to 2 m high, possibly growing into a small tree with a canopy to several metres wide.

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Notelaea ovata, image Alan Fairley
Notelaea ovataNative Olive, Forest Olive

It is a shrub to 1.5 metres tall, which can form wide multi-stemmed patches or colonies in some habitats; otherwise with a spread up to 1 metre. 

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Notelaea venosa (fruit), image Alan Fairley
Notelaea venosaVeined Mock-olive, Smooth Mock-olive, Large-leaved Mock-olive

A small tree potentially reaching 10 m or more, with a spread to several metres but often seen as a smaller shrub. 

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Nymphoides geminata
Nymphoides geminataEntire Marshwort

Nymphoides germinata, the Entire Marshwort, belongs to the Menyanthaceae family and is an aquatic perennial. The Entire Marshwort has floating leaves that are almost circular, up to ten centimetres across, mid green glossy above and dull green and dotted below. In our ponds Leaf Green Tree Frogs sit on the leaves.

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Olearia elliptica
Olearia ellipticaSticky Daisy Bush

Olearia elliptica is known as the Sticky Daisy Bush. This medium shrub has elliptical, alternate, dark green and very sticky leaves. The foliage has an enamelled appearance. Plants have masses of white daisy flowers in terminal clusters during summer and autumn.

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Olearia tenuifolia
Olearia tenuifoliaShiny Daisy Bush

Olearia tenuifolia, the Shiny Daisy Bush, is a small shrub reaching a height of about one metre. The dark green leaves are linear and alternate. The flower heads are about four centimetres in diameter. The ray (outside) florets are blue to mauve and the disk (inside) florets yellow. The flowers are profuse, conspicuous and carried for most of the year. Both foliage and flowers are attractive features.

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Oplismenus aemulus, image Alan Fairley
Oplismenus aemulusBasket grass, Australian Basket Grass, Wavy Beard Grass, Creeping Beard Grass

A ground-covering grass which can form large colonies to several metres wide, growing to about 0.3 metres tall. It has thin wiry stems which root at some notes.

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Oplismenus imbecillis, image Alan Fairley
Oplismenus imbecillisCreeping Beard Grass

A ground-covering grass which can form large colonies to several metres wide,growing to about 0.3 metres tall. It has thin wiry stems which root at some notes.

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Orthrosanthus multiflorus, image Kevin Stokes
Orthrosanthus multiflorusMorning Iris

The Morning Iris is found in southern South Australia and Kangaroo Island. It also occurs in Victoria and Western Australia. It is a very hardy and attractive plant for informal rockeries or massed displays. The plants somewhat resemble Dianella sp. in form but not in flower.

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Ottelia ovalifolia
Ottelia ovalifoliaSwamp Lily

Ottelia ovalifolia, Swamp Lily, is a tufted aquatic perennial with floating and submerged leaves and flowers. The visible leaves are strap-like, up to 16 centimetres long and six centimetres wide. Plants produce two types of flowers. One does not emerge and self pollinates without opening. The other is held, above the water, on a stalk up to 30 centimetres long.

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Ozothamnus diosmifolius flower
Ozothamnus diosmifoliusSago Flower, Rice Flower

Ozothamnus diosmifolius is a shrub that will reach a height of 2 metres. Flowers appear in winter and spring at the ends of branches in dense globular clusters. Buds may be pink and they open to small white to pink flowers. What the flowers lack in size they make up for in quantity.

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Pandorea jasminoides
Pandorea jasminoidesBower of Beauty

Pandorea jasminoides, variously known as Bower of Beauty, Bower Vine or Bower Climber. This member of the Bignoniaceae family is a very vigorous woody climber. Flowers are white or pale pink, trumpet shaped and up to six centimetres long. Blooms are carried in clusters from spring to summer.

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Pandorea 'Golden Showers', image Heather Miles
Pandorea pandoranaWonga Vine

Pandorea pandorana, Wonga Vine, is a member of the Bignoniaceae family. This woody scrambler or climber has long, twining branches with fawn coloured bark. Flowers are tubular, about two centimetres long, usually creamy-white with either brown or purple markings in the throat.

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Patersonia fragilis, image Alan Fairley
Patersonia fragilisSwamp Iris, Short Purple-flag

A monocotyledonous, densely tufted, herbaceous perennial to 0.6 metres high by about 0.3 metres wide, with basal leaves growing from a woody rhizome.

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Patersonia glabrata, Two Creeks Track, image H Miles
Patersonia glabrataLeafy purple-flag

An erect monocotyledonous herbaceous perennial, to 80 cm high, with leaves mostly produced above the ground on stems arising from a woody rhizome.

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Patersonia sericea, image Alan Fairley
Patersonia sericeaNative Iris or Native Flag

A monocotyledonous, densely tufted, herbaceous perennial to 0.6 metres high by about 0.3 metres wide, with basal leaves growing from a woody rhizome.

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Pelargonium australe flowers
Pelargonium australeAustral Stork’s-bill

Pelargonium australe is found in all Australian states in coastal dunes and further inland in semi-arid areas. There are about 7 Australian members of the genus and Pelargonium australe is the best known and most widespread. Pelargonium and Geranium are often confused – however they do differ from each other by the shape of the flowers, with Pelargoniums having two larger petals while Geraniums have petals all of similar size.

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Persoonia acerosa, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia acerosaNeedle Geebung

Persoonia acerosa – An erect to spreading shrub, to 2 metres tall and about 1 metre wide, with smooth bark. Its occurrence is limited mainly to the Blue Mountains in dry sclerophyll woodland and forest as well as low woodland / scrubby heath on low fertility sandy soils. It is currently threatened with extinction in the wild.

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Persoonia acuminata, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia acuminataGeebung

Persoonia acuminata – A prostrate to spreading shrub to a height of 2 metres.
It is confined to higher altitudes (1,000 to 1,500 metres) on the NSW tablelands and grows in mountain heath and wet sclerophyll forest, on granite and volcanic soils.

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Persoonia bargoensis, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia bargoensisBargo Geebung, Geebung

Persoonia bargoensis – An erect, bushy shrub to 2.5 metres tall. It is restricted to a small area south-west of Sydney, bounded by Picton, Douglas Park, Yanderra, Cataract River and Thirlmere and grows in dry sclerophyll woodland and forest on sandstone and shale/sandstone transition soils.

It is listed as threatened with extinction in the wild.

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Persoonia chamaepitys, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia chamaepitysMountain Geebung, Geebung

Persoonia chamaepitys – A prostrate shrub to about 0.2 metres tall, forming a dense ground layer (carpets) to 1 metre across and growing in colonies. It has a limited distribution, mainly west and north-west of Sydney, on sandy substrates and sandstone in dry sclerophyll forest.

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Persoonia glaucescens, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia glaucescensMittagong Persoonia, Geebung

Persoonia glaucescens – An erect shrub to 3 metres tall. It has a restricted natural distribution, growing in the north of the southern highlands of NSW and somewhat further. It grows in dry sclerophyll woodland and forest on soil enriched with clay and gravel along with laterite, mainly on ridge-tops, plateaus and upper slopes.

It is listed as threatened with extinction in the wild.

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Persoonia hindii, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia hindiiGeebung

Persoonia hindii – A small shrub to 1 metre tall, with numerous stems arising from underground rhizomes. It is has a very small, restricted occurrence, confined to the Newnes Plateau in the Blue Mountains, north and east of Lithgow in NSW and grows in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands on sandy soils.

It is listed as threatened with extinction in the wild.

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Persoonia hirsuta ssp hirsuta (fruit), image Alan Fairley
Persoonia hirsutaGeebung, Hairy Geebung

A spreading to low-lying shrub, to 1.5 metres tall. It grows in dry sclerophyll forest and woodland, shrubland, as well as heath on sandstone soils.

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Persoonia isophylla, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia isophyllaGeebung

An erect or spreading shrub to a height of 1.5 metres. It has a limited distribution, growing from the north of Sydney, to Gosford and then north-west into Yengo NP. It grows on sandstone-derived soils.

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Persoonia lanceolata, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia lanceolataLance-leaf Geebung, Geebung

An upright spreading shrub, growing to 3 metres tall with a 2-metre spread. It is found mainly on the coast of NSW, with most records extending south from South-West Rocks

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Persoonia laurina ssp laurina., image Alan Fairley
Persoonia laurinaLaurel Geebung, Geebung

A shrub to 2 metres tall, usually seen as a ground-hugging shrub of low height.

It has a distribution mainly on the central coast subdivision of NSW, from Bulahdelah, south to Conjola and the Budawang Range

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Persoonia levis, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia levisBroad-leaf Geebung, Geebung

Persoonia levis – A large shrub to about 5 metres high. It is found from the Macleay River catchment near Grafton, on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, to the Cann River in far eastern Victoria.

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Persoonia linearis flower, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia linearisNarrow-leaved Geebung

Persoonia linearis  – A common shrub in NSW, mainly on the coast and tablelands, growing to 5 metres tall. It extends north to the Macleay River in NSW, on the coast and tablelands and extends south, to the central western slopes, through the southern tablelands and south coast into Victoria. It is typically found in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands, on ridges and mid-slopes, on sandstone soils as well as other soil landscapes such as conglomerates.

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Persoonia marginata, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia marginataClandulla Geebung, Geebung

Persoonia marginata – A spreading shrub that grows to 0.5 metre high and up to 1 metre across. It grows in dry sclerophyll forest and woodland communities on sandstone between Kandos and Clarence in the western Blue Mountains of NSW on the Central Tablelands. There are disjunct (separate) populations and It is a listed threatened species in the wild.

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Persoonia mollis ssp caleyi, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia mollisSoft Geebung

Persoonia mollis – A very variable, erect to prostrate shrub, growing to 5 metres tall by up to several metres wide, for which 9 subspecies are currently recognised. Plants are generally found between the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury River, south to the Clyde River (Batemans Bay), mainly on the central coast and south coast of NSW but extending into the tablelands. It grows in dry and wet sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath, mainly on sandstone but also on other metasediments.

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Persoonia myrtilloides, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia myrtilloidesGeebung, Myrtle Geebung

Persoonia myrtilloides – An erect to spreading shrub, to a height of to 2.5 metres. It grows in the Blue Mountains from Wentworth Falls, northwards to Goulburn River in NSW (on the Central Coast / Central Tablelands divide and into the Central Western Slopes).

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Persoonia nutans, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia nutansNodding Geebung

Persoonia nutans – An erect to spreading shrub to 1.5 metres tall by 1 metre wide, usually with arching branches. It is restricted to the Cumberland Plain in western Sydney, between Richmond in the north and Macquarie Fields in the south. There are large populations in Londonderry and Castlereagh and is a listed threatened species.

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Persoonia oblongata, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia oblongataGeebung

Persoonia oblongata – An erect or spreading shrub to 3 metres tall. It grows in dry sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath on sandstone, between Springwood and Richmond, extending to Wisemans Ferry, to Yengo National Park and Howes Valley and west to Rylstone, and on the Central Coast and Central Tablelands divisions of NSW.

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Persoonia oxycoccoides, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia oxycoccoidesGeebung

Persoonia oxycoccoides – A spreading to prostrate shrub to 1 metre high. It has a limited distribution, occurring in an area bounded by Mittagong, Jamberoo Pass and Tallong in the Southern Highlands of NSW (within the Central Tablelands division). It grows in heath and dry sclerophyll eucalypt forest, in sandy soils derived from sandstone.

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Persoonia pinifolia, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia pinifoliaGeebung, Pine-leaf Geebung

Persoonia pinifolia is a large shrub about 2–4 metres, with soft pine-like leaves. It is very common in sheltered open forests on sandstone in the Sydney region, including along sandstone creeks and pools. Use as an Australian native Christmas tree.

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Persoonia recedens, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia recedensGeebung

Persoonia recedens – A typically small prostrate to spreading shrub but reaching a height to 1.5 metres with a spread to 1 metre or more. It is confined to an area between the Newnes Plateau (north of Lithgow) and Blackheath in NSW (eastern part of the Central Tablelands division) and grows on sandstone outcrops and rocky areas in dry sclerophyll forest and woodland.

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Persoonia rigida, image Alan Fairley
Persoonia rigidaGeebung, Hairy Geebung, Rigid Geebung, Stiff Geebungshrubs-large
Petrophile canescens. Image Alan Fairley
Petrophile canescensConesticksProteaceae

An erect shrub that grows to a height of 2 metres (often seen smaller). It has a large geographic range in NSW with a patchy distribution on most of the coast and tablelands areas, as well as, the north-western slopes. Patches occur to the east of Queanbeyan in the south

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Petrophile pedunculata, Image Alan Fairley
Petrophile pedunculata Conesticks

It is found mostly on the central coast of NSW, extending into the south coast and central tablelands; as far north as the upper Blue Mountains (north of Katoomba) and as far south as towards Nelligen and Marulan. 

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Petrophile pulchella. Image Alan Fairley
Petrophile pulchellaConesticks

It has a mostly coastal occurrence in NSW, growing from as far south as around Ulladulla, extending north into the Southern Highlands, Greater Sydney Basin and Blue Mountains, as far west as north of Lithgow. It grows along the north coast and northern tablelands (east of Guyra and Glen Innes). Records move just into SE Queensland but they are scant here.

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Petrophile sessilis, Image Alan Fairley
Petrophile sessilisConesticks

It is widespread in coastal sandstone soils and lateritic and other rocky outcrops, in sclerophyll heath, woodland and forest from the Central Coast to the Central and Southern Tablelands of New South Wales.

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Phebalium squamulosum ssp. squamulosum - inflorescences and flowers
Phebalium squamulosum ssp. squamulosumScaly Phebalium

Phebalium squamulosum ssp. squamulosum is widespread along the east coast of Australia growing from coast to mountains. There are 10 subspecies of this plant and the most common subspecies is squamulosum. The individual cream to pale yellow terminal flowers are five-petalled and relatively small, but as they occur in clusters they are very conspicuous. The narrow oblong leaves are up to 5 cm long and are shiny on top and a paler silvery-rusty colour underneath.

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Philotheca buxifolia, image Alan Fairley
Philotheca buxifoliaWax flower

Philotheca buxifolia is a shrub potentially growing to a height of 1.5 metres, often with a narrow spread.

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Philotheca hispidula, image Alan Fairley
Philotheca hispidulaWax flower

A shrub to about 1 metre high, with slightly glandular-warty and finely-bristly branchlets.

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Philotheca myoporoides flower
Philotheca myoporoidesNative Daphne or Long-leaf Wax Flower

Philotheca myoporoides is a widely occurring plant found up and down the east coast of Australia from Victoria to Queensland and inland along the ranges. It grows in open forests in sheltered slopes and valleys as an understory plant. 

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Philotheca nodiflora var. lasiocalyx, image Heather Miles
Philotheca nodiflora var. lasiocalyxBlue Waxflower

Philotheca nodiflora var. lasiocalyx is a small upright shrub about 50 cm tall by 30–50 cm wide which forms a ground cover. It has fine hairy grey foliage which has a strong aroma when crushed, due to the volatile oils. The terminal clusters of delicate lilac-blue 5-petaled flowers ageing to purple appear in late winter to early spring and are about 10–15 mm in diameter.

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Philotheca obovalis, image Alan Fairley
Philotheca obovalisWax flower

Philotheca obovalis is a shrub to 1 metre tall, with slightly hairy stems.

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Philotheca reichenbachii, image Alan Fairley
Philotheca reichenbachiiWax flower

A shrub to 2 metres tall (often smaller). It is confined naturally to the larger Sydney area, growing from the Royal National Park (south of Sydney) north to around the Peats Ridge area and as far west as Hornsby – Parramatta.

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Philotheca salsolifolia, image Alan Fairley
Philotheca salsolifoliaWax flower

Philotheca salsolifolia is a shrub to 2 metres tall with about a 1-metre spread and hairless branchlets.

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Philotheca scabra ssp scabra, image Alan Fairley
Philotheca scabraWax flower

A small shrub to 0.6 metres tall, spreading to about 1 metre wide with stems having rough hairs.

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Philotheca trachyphylla, image Alan Fairley
Philotheca trachyphyllaRock Wax Flower

Philotheca trachyphylla is a shrub to a small tree, potentially reaching 7 metres in height but often much smaller.

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Pimelea linifolia, image Alan Fairley
Pimelea linifoliaSlender Rice Flower

Pimelea linifolia prefers a well-drained soil and prune after flowering to keep compact and enhance flowering. It tolerates dappled or full sun. It can be grown in a mass display on a raised bed or rockery with other plants to good effect.

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Pittosporum multiflorum, image Alan Fairley
Pittosporum multiflorumWallaby Apple, Orange Thorn, Large Fruited Orange Thorn, Apple Wallaby, Thorn Bush

Pittosporum multiflorum – A stiff, wiry shrub up to 3 m high, with thorny branches.  It is found in or near rainforest or wet sclerophyll forest, typically on enriched soils (shale and volcanic loams).Can also thrive in cleared rainforest areas. It grows north of Bega in NSW, extending mainly along the coast, into Queensland to around the Sunshine Coast.

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Pittosporum revolutum, image Alan Fairley
Pittosporum revolutumRough-fruited Pittosporum, Yellow Pittosporum, Brisbane Laurel or Wild Yellow Jasmine

An erect shrub up to 4 metres tall by 2 metres wide, often seen about 1.5 x 1 m.

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Pittosporum undulatum, image Alan Fairley
Pittosporum undulatumNative Daphne, Sweet Pittosporum

A tree to 15 metres tall, forming a canopy to 10 metres wide, with light-brown to grey bark with conspicuous lenticels.

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Planchonella australis, Image Alan Fairley
Planchonella australis Black Apple, Wild Plum, Yellow Buttonwood, Black Plum, Yellow Bulletwood

A tree capable of reaching 30 metres tall, with a flanged and fluted trunk up to 1.2 m in diameter, with rough brown bark. It is usually much smaller in cultivation.

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Poa labillardieri, image Alan Fairley
Poa labillardiereiCommon Tussock-grass

Poa labillardierei is an attractive low maintenance feature or background ornamental grass, ideal for landscaping and suitable for group plantings. Is fast growing in all types of soils with a shallow root system. Low maintenance once established.

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Poa sieberiana
Poa sieberianaSnow grass, Grey Tussock-grass, Small Blue Tussock-grass

Poa sieberiana is a dense tussock grass with fine green to greyish-green leaves about 50 cm long. There is also a blue variety var. cyanophylla. The very attractive inflorescences (panicles) are about 1 metre tall, from spring to summer, with pale green to purple seed heads. A popular plant in native garden landscapes.

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Podocarpus elatus (female cones with fleshy appendage), image Alan Fairley
Podocarpus elatusPlum Pine / Brown Pine / Illawarra Plum

A medium to large and slow growing tree, to 35 m tall (usually up to 15 m tall in cultivation) with a round spreading canopy to several metres wide, often with horizontal branches.

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Podocarpus spinulosus ,image by Dan Clarke
Podocarpus spinulosusDwarf Plum Pine, Spiny-leaf Podocarp,

A shrub or tree to potentially 5 metres high, with a narrow spread to a few metres – often seen as a low scrambling and ground-covering shrub in a lot of habitats.

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Podolepis jaceoides
Podolepis jaceoidesShowy Copper Wire Daisy

Podolepis jaceoides, the Showy Copper Wire Daisy, is an herbaceous plant with a perennial rootstock. Few or many stems arise from the rootstock annually and reach a height of about 50 centimetres. The number is probably dependent on weather conditions. Young stems are hairy.

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Podolobium ilicifolium, image Heather Miles
Podolobium ilicifoliumPrickly Shaggy-pea, Native Holly

An erect shrub to 3 metres tall, spreading to 1 metre. It has a common and widespread occurrence in NSW, growing along most of the NSW coastal subdivisions, as well as the eastern parts of the tablelands

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Polyosma cunninghamii, Image Alan Fairley
Polyosma cunninghamiiFeatherwood

It has a coastal and coastal-inland distribution in NSW, growing north from Nelligen-Batemans Bay area, in a patchy distribution northwards to the Queensland border, as far west as Barrington Tops National Park and Armidale-region.

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Pomaderris adnata, image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris adnataSublime Point Pomaderris

It is only known from one location – endemic to NSW, above the Illawarra Escarpment, south of Sydney at Sublime Point. 

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Pomaderris andromedifolia, Image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris andromedifolia

A medium shrub to 3 metres high, spreading to about 2 metres across.

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Pomaderris aspera, Image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris asperaHazel Pomaderris

A shrub generally growing to about 5 metres tall, spreading to 3 metres wide. In some habitats, observations are reported that they can reach over 15 metres with trunks to 30 cm across.

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Pomaderris brunnea, Image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris brunneaBrown Pomaderris, Rufous Pomaderris

A shrub to about 3 m tall, spreading to 1-2 metres wide, with distinctively hairy stems.

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Pomaderris discolor, Image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris discolor

A shrub to potentially 5 metres, spreading to several metres wide with stems possessing dense white stellate hairs.

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Pomaderris elliptica, image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris elliptica

It occurs naturally in NSW, with a mainly coastal and tablelands distribution; south from around Taree and Rylestone, extending south along the coast, west to around Wadbilliga National Park, to Bega and then disjunctly around Eden and further inland. It extends into Victoria, generally from the eastern corner of the State to Melbourne-area and further south to the coast. It is common in the eastern half of Tasmania, extending into some western areas and the north-west coast.

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Pomaderris eriocephala, Image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris eriocephalaWoolly-head Pomaderris

A spreading shrub to 3 m tall by 2 or so metres wide. It has a widespread if patchy natural distribution in NSW, growing south from around Severn River Nature Reserve and Pindari Dam and a bit further north-east, near Torrington NSW, south through the tablelands and the coastal hinterland, extending onto the western slopes near Wellington.

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Pomaderris ferruginea, image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris ferrugineaRusty Pomaderris

A shrub up to 4 metres tall, spreading to about 2 metres wide, mainly at the highest parts. It has rusty stems.

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Pomaderris intermedia, </i>image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris intermediaGolden Pomaderris, Lemon Dogwood

A shrub to 3 m tall, spreading to 1-2 metres wide. The stems have scattered to clustered simple hairs.

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Pomaderris lanigera. Image, Alan Fairley
Pomaderris lanigera Woolly Pomaderris

A large shrub (potentially a small tree) growing to 5 metres tall, with a canopy spreading to 3 metres wide.

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Pomaderris ledifolia, image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris ledifoliaSydney Pomaderris

A shrub to 2 metres high, often with a narrow erect habit, spreading to 1 metre wide; sometimes prostrate under extreme conditions.

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Pomaderris ligustrina, image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris ligustrinaPrivet Pomaderris

Shrub to 2 metres high, usually with an erect habit, spreading to 1 metre wide.

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Pomaderris mediora, image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris mediora

A shrub growing from 1 to 3 metres tall, erect to sometimes sprawling or procumbent.

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Pomaderris phylicifolia var ericoides ,image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris phylicifoliaNarrow-leaf Pomaderris, Slender Pomaderris

A shrub to 2 metres tall, with an upright habit, spreading to about 1 metre wide.

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Pomaderris prunifolia, image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris prunifoliaPlum-leaf Pomaderris

A shrub to 3 metres high, spreading to about 2 metres wide. The stems have rusty stellate hairs.

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Pomaderris velutina, image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris velutinaVelvet Pomaderris

A slender shrub to 3 m high, spreading to several metres wide potentially.

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Pomaderris walshii, image Alan Fairley
Pomaderris walshiiCarrington Falls Pomaderris

A large shrub to about 3 metres tall, spreading to several metres wide.

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Potamogeton tricarinatus
Potamogeton tricarinatusFloating Pondweed

Potamogeton tricarinatus is a perennial aquatic herb commonly known as Floating Pondweed and is a member of the Potamogetonaceae family. Plants have creeping rhizomes, stems that may be up to four metres long, submerged and floating foliage and emergent inflorescences.

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Prostanthera askania, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera askaniaTranquility Mintbush

Prostanthera askania – An erect to spreading and sometimes scrambling, openly-branched shrub that grows to 3 metres high. Occurs in moist sclerophyll forest and warm temperate rainforest communities, and the ecotone between them. It has a very restricted geographic range, in the central coast subdivision of NSW, found on the upper reaches of creeks that flow into Tuggerah Lake and Brisbane Waters, within the Wyong and Gosford local government areas. It is listed as threatened with extinction in the wild.

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Prostanthera aspalathoides
Prostanthera aspalathoides

Prostanthera aspalathoides is a dwarf, erect shrub that reaches a height of one metre. The small, crowded leaves are deep green and, typical of most mintbushes, very aromatic. Tubular flowers are two centimetres long and come in a range of colours including red, orange, yellow and cream. The upper and lower lobes are equal in length. 

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Prostanthera caerulea, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera caeruleaLilac Mint Bush

Prostanthera caerulea – An erect shrub growing to 3 metres high by about 1 metre wide with lovely minty fragrance…

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Prostanthera cineolifera, image Mark Abell
Prostanthera cineoliferaSingleton Mint Bush

Prostanthera cineolifera – An erect shrub to 4 metres tall to 2 metres wide, which is strongly aromatic.

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Prostanthera cryptandroides, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Prostanthera cryptandroides

Prostanthera cryptandroides is a small shrub reaching a height of 1 metre. Young growth is sticky. Mature leaves are elliptical leaves to ovate, about one centimetre long and very aromatic. Flowers are 1.5 centimetres long, white to lilac with a purple-spotted throat. Flowering is conspicuous and profuse between September and April.

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Prostanthera cuneata
Prostanthera cuneataAlpine Mint Bush

Prostanthera cuneata, Alpine Mint Bush, is a delightful dwarf to medium spreading shrub. The strongly aromatic leaves are roughly oval in shape and taper to the base. They are dark green above and paler beneath. Flowers are 1.5 centimetres long and white with coloured blotches in the throat. They are said to be sweetly fragrant.

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Prostanthera densa, image H Miles
Prostanthera densaVillous Mint Bush

Prostanthera densa is a small shrub. Its natural distribution is in five known areas in NSW, all very close to the coast – Nelson Bay, South Cronulla, Royal National Park (Marley), Helensburgh and Shoalhaven (northern peninsula of Jervis Bay). It is found growing on a range of soil types.

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Prostanthera denticulata, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera denticulataRough Mint Bush

Prostanthera denticulata – A wiry / weak-wooded, semi-erect to prostrate shrub, aromatic, growing to a height of 1 metre and potentially spreading to 2 metres wide.

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Prostanthera granitica, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera granitica

Prostanthera granitica is a small, spreading shrub that reaches a height of about 1 metre. Small, aromatic leaves are 15 centimetres long, moderately crowded, mid green and feel like sandpaper to the touch. Flowers are one centimetre across, mid violet to purple and carried in the upper leaf axils.

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Prostanthera hindii, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera hindiiMint Bush

Prostanthera hindii – An erect shrub growing to 1 metre tall by 1 metre wide. It is naturally confined to a small area of NSW, growing in dry sclerophyll shrubland and woodland, on shallow sandy soils, in crevices and on slopes with rocky sandstone platforms and outcrops.

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Prostanthera hirtula, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera hirtulaHairy Mintbush

Prostanthera hirtula – A spreading shrub to 2 metres tall by 1 metre wide. It is found on elevated, rocky sites in dry sclerophyll woodland and open forest in New South Wales.

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Prostanthera howelliae, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera howelliae

Prostanthera howelliae – An erect or spreading shrub growing to a height and spread of 0.3 to 1.5 metres. It is found widely in dry sclerophyll woodland and shrubland in the eastern half of New South Wales and into Queensland and Victoria.

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Prostanthera incana
Prostanthera incanaVelvet Mintbush

Prostanthera incana, known as the Velvet Mintbush, is a small to medium shrub that reaches a height of 1.5 metres in our cold climate garden. Leaves are two centimetres long, oval, dull green, aromatic with a velvety appearance (hence the common name). Leaf margins have rounded teeth.

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Prostanthera incisa var incisa, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera incisaCut-leaved Mint Bush, Cut-leaf Mint Bush

Prostanthera incisa – An erect shrub to 4 m tall with a narrow spread with an open habit and a strong odour, pleasing or perhaps unpleasant. It is found naturally growing in wet sclerophyll forest and on margins of rainforest.

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Prostanthera junonis, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera junonisSomersby Mint Bush

Prostanthera junonis – A low spreading or straggling shrub to 1 metre high and up to 1 metre in diameter. It grows naturally in sclerophyll forest and woodland in sandy loamy soils on sandstone and is restricted to the Somersby Plateau in the Gosford area of NSW

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Prostanthera lasianthos, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera lasianthosVictorian Christmas Bush

Prostanthera lasianthos – A tall, graceful forest shrub (to small tree), highly variable in its habit and appearance. It ranges from a 10-metre high tree growing in sheltered forest to a 2-metre high shrub growing in exposed montane areas. It is the largest member of the genus Prostanthera.

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Prostanthera linearis, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera linearisNarrow-leaved Mint Bush

Prostanthera linearis – An erect shrub to a height of 3 metres with a narrow spread to about 1 metre.

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Prostanthera marifolia, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera marifoliaSeaforth Mintbush

Prostanthera marifolia – A wiry, low spreading to erect, straggly and open-branched shrub, up to 0.5 m high.

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Prostanthera melissifolia
Prostanthera melissifoliaBalm Mintbush

Prostanthera melissifolia is known as the Balm Mintbush. The species may reach a height of 5 metres with a spread of 3 metres. Leaves are oval, about 3 centimetres long, aromatic with toothed margins. They are crowded, dull green above and paler beneath.

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Prostanthera nivea var induta
Prostanthera nivea var. indutaSnowy Mint Bush

Prostanthera nivea var. induta is a medium shrub that reaches a height of about two metres. Linear leaves are one centimetre long, grey-green and held in small clusters. Unlike most Prostantheras, induta has little or no foliage aroma. This variety has proved to be wilt-resistant during dry spells.

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Prostanthera nivea var nivea, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera nivea var. niveaSnowy Mint Bush

Prostanthera nivea var. nivea, Snowy Mint Bush is an upright shrub growing to a height of 3 metres. Leaves are light green, linear and about 4 centimetres long. Flowers are white to mauve. From September to December plants become covered in blooms. Prune after flowering to prevent plants becoming straggly.

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Prostanthera ovalifolia, image Warren and Gloria Sheather
Prostanthera ovalifoliaOval-leaved Mint Bush

Prostanthera ovalifolia, Oval-leaved Mint Bush is a variable shrub that may reach a height of five metres. The specimens in our garden only reach 2 metres. Judicious pruning will limit the height and prevent the plant becoming straggly. Leaves range in size from 5 mm to 50 mm in length. They are moderately crowded, mid green to dark green and strongly aromatic.

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Prostanthera ovalifolia Rosea flower
Prostanthera ovalifolia ‘Rosea’Oval-leaf Mint, Purple Mint Bush and the Thousand Flowered Mint Bush

Prostanthera ovalifolia ‘Rosea’ was the first mint bush that I grew in my garden in the northern Sydney suburb of Westleigh and the original plant lasted for well over 20 years. It is stunning in flower and has the added bonus of highly aromatic leaves – when brushed they fill the air with a delightful bushland fragrance. It is a rounded shrub that grows to about two to three metres tall with a similar spread.

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Prostanthera petraea
Prostanthera petraea

Prostanthera petraea is a rare mint bush from the Northern Tablelands and perhaps southern Queensland. This is a small to tall shrub. Plants in our garden are about two metres tall after three years in the ground. The leaves are ovate up to 8 centimetres long, 2 centimetres wide, strongly aromatic with prominent stalks. They are dull olive-green above and paler beneath.

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Prostanthera phylicifolia flower
Prostanthera phylicifoliaSpiked Mint Bush or Mint Bush

Prostanthera phylicifolia is stunning in flower as the pale violet/purple flowers contrast beautifully with the small dark green aromatic leaves. Some Prostantheas have a short flowering time. However, I find that this species flowers for me for well over a month in early Spring. They are reportedly frost resistant and are a favourite plant on the west coast of USA.

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Prostanthera prunelloides, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera prunelloidesMint Bush

Prostanthera prunelloides – An erect to spreading shrub to 2 metres tall.

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Prostanthera rhombea, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera rhombeaSparkling mint-bush

Prostanthera rhombea – An openly-branched shrub to 2 metres tall by about 1 metre wide.

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Prostanthera rotundifolia
Prostanthera rotundifoliaRound-leaf Mint Bush

Prostanthera rotundifolia is known as the Round-leaf mint Bush and is well known in cultivation. The Round-leaf Mint Bush reaches a height of two metres in our cold climate garden. As the common name suggests the leaves are round. The foliage is very aromatic. Flowering is in spring when the plants become covered with blooms. 

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Prostanthera rugosa, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera rugosaMint bush

Prostanthera rugosa – An openly-branched aromatic shrub to 1.5 m tall, to less than 1 metre wide.

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Prostanthera saxicola
Prostanthera saxicola

Prostanthera saxicolais a prostrate to erect shrub that may reach a height of 2 metres. Small leaves are crowded to scattered, up to 15 millimetres long, aromatic and covered with white hairs. The flowers are axillary, white to mauve and appear from July to February. Tip pruning, after flowers fade, is appreciated.

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Prostanthera scutellarioides, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera scutellarioidesMint Bush

Prostanthera scutellarioides grows naturally from Sydney to the Blue Mountains and north to the Queensland border. The leaves are linear, pale to mid-green, sometimes curved and up to three centimetres long. Unlike most mint bushes the foliage, of this species, has virtually no perfume.

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Prostanthera sejuncta
Prostanthera sejunctaSpiny Mintbush

Prostanthera sejuncta, Spiny Mintbush, is a scrambling; more or less prostrate ground cover that may reach a height of 50 centimetres. Many spreading branches have small, ovate, aromatic leaves that are pale to deep green above and paler beneath.

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Prostanthera serpyllifolia
Prostanthera serpyllifoliaThyme-leaved Mintbush

Prostanthera serpyllifolia is known as the Thyme-leaved Mintbush. It is a dwarf, spreading shrub reaching a height of one metre with a similar spread. Small leaves are one centimetre long, ovate, deep green, crowded and glossy. As with most mintbushes the foliage is aromatic and rather attractive.

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Prostanthera stenophylla, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera stenophyllaMint bush

Prostanthera stenophylla – An erect, slender shrub to 2 metres tall to less than 1 metre wide.

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Prostanthera striatiflora flowers
Prostanthera striatifloraJockey’s Cap

Prostanthera striatiflora is known as Jockey’s Cap. This common name refers to the shape of the flowers. This attractive Mint Bush develops into a dwarf to medium shrub with the usual aromatic foliage. Large flowers are about two centimetres across, white to cream with orange blotches on the lower lobe and purple strips in the throat. Masses of flowers are produced between August and November. 

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Prostanthera stricta, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera strictaMount Vincent Mint Bush

Prostanthera stricta – An erect, bushy, aromatic shrub growing to 2 metres tall and to 3 metres wide.

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Prostanthera violacea, image Alan Fairley
Prostanthera violaceaViolet mint-bush

Prostanthera violacea – Is a slender, strongly aromatic shrub, to 2 metres tall, growing in dry sclerophyll forests

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Prostanthera 'Poorinda Ballerina' plant and flowers
Prostanthera ‘Poorinda Ballerina’

Prostanthera ‘Poorinda Ballerina’ is a hybrid mint bush. This plant arose at Leo Hodge’s property, Poorinda in Victoria. It is said to be a medium shrub reaching a height of two metres. In our cold climate garden plants seldom exceed one metre in height. Small leaves are one centimetre long, deep green above and paler beneath.

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Prostanthera 'Ragged Robin'
Prostanthera ‘Ragged Robin’(cultivar)

Prostanthera ‘Ragged Robin’ is a short to medium shrub with an upright growth habit. Strongly aromatic leaves are about 2 centimetres long, cross-shaped and grey-green to pale green. Flowers are 1.5 centimetres long, mauve-blue and carried in the upper leaf axils during late spring and early summer. Blooms are conspicuous and profuse. Pruning plants will keep them in good shape.

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Pseuderanthemum variabile, image Alan Fairley
Pseuderanthemum variabilePastel Flower

Pseuderanthemum variabile is a creeping perennial plant to 25 cm tall, with dark green opposite leaves up to about 7 cm long by up to 4 cm wide. The small flowers which appear between November and May can be white, lilac, purple or blue, often with spots near the middle. It is a food plant for caterpillars of a number of butterflies.

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Pultenaea aculeata, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea aculeata

An erect to procumbent shrub, reaching a height to 4 metres tall (often smaller), with spreading hairy stems. It occurs in a restricted area of NSW, known only from east of Rylstone, with the majority of individuals occurring within Wollemi National Park.

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Pultenaea aristata, image Dan Clarke
Pultenaea aristataPrickly Bush-pea or Bearded Bush-pea

A small shrub, to 40 cm tall by 30 cm wide. It has a very small natural occurrence in NSW, restricted to the Woronora Plateau, in a small area between Helensburgh, south of Sydney, and Mt Kiera above Wollongong.

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Pultenaea blakelyi, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea blakelyiBlakely's Bush Pea

A shrub to 4 metres tall, by about 1 to 2 metres wide, with stems sparsely to moderately hairy. It has a mostly coastal distribution in NSW, growing as far south as Merimbula on the South Coast

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Pultenaea canescens, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea canescensPlumed Bush-pea

An erect or sprawling shrub to a height of up to 1.5 metres, with hairless or hairy stems. It is found only in NSW, mainly in the Blue Mountains (west of Sydney), growing from Blaxland to Lithgow-area (and a small way further north)

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Pultenaea capitellata, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea capitellataHard-head Bush-pea

A sprawling to prostrate shrub, with hairy stems up to 50 cm long. It is found in NSW on the central and southern tablelands, as well as south coast

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Pultenaea daphnoides closeup of flower, image Dan Clarke
Pultenaea daphnoidesLarge-leaf Bush-pea

Pultenaea daphnoides is an upright shrub, growing to about 2 m tall and 1 m wide. Leaves with a distinctive cuneate to obovate shape (widest at apex), to 4 cm long and about 1 cm wide, mid to dark green. The leaves have a small sharp point (mucro).
Flowers are typically pea-shaped (papilionate) and a striking deep yellow with red markings. Flowers produced in terminal umbel-like heads, about 3 x 3 cm.

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Pultenaea divaricata, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea divaricata

An erect shrub growing to a height of 1 metre, typically with overall narrow branches which spread apart, with stems that are more or less hairless. It is confined to NSW, growing in disjunct populations, from north of Lithgow, south through Katoomba-area

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Pultenaea echinula, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea echinulaCurved Bush-pea

An erect shrub, to 1 metre tall with spreading branches to 1 metre wide. It can have hairless to sparsely hairy stems. It is confined to NSW, as far south as Bulli in the south-east, extending north-west through Appin and Katoomba and north to the east of Kandos.

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Pultenaea ferruginea, image Dan Clarke
Pultenaea ferrugineaLarge Bronze Bush-pea

An erect, bushy multi-stemmed shrub with densely hairy stems, to a height of up to 2 metres by 1 metre wide. It is confined to NSW, growing mainly in the Sydney to Newcastle region

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Pultenaea flexilis, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea flexilisGraceful Bush-pea

An erect shrub, to 4 metres high, sometimes with sparsely hairy stems. It grows in two somewhat disjunct areas in NSW, as far south as Deua National park, west of Moruya, north along the coast where it is found commonly north of Durras North

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Pultenaea glabra, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea glabraSmooth Bush-pea

An erect shrub, growing to a height 3 metres, with hairless stems. It is restricted to the Greater Sydney Area

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Pultenaea hispidula, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea hispidulaRusty Bush-pea

An erect, spreading shrub, to a height of about 1 metre, often with many drooping and densely hairy branches. It grows in NSW mainly on the central and south coast subdivisions

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Pultenaea linophylla, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea linophylla

An erect or prostrate shrub, not overly large, to 1 metre tall and with narrow and wiry spreading branches.
It spreads from just in Queensland in the south-east, through the northern tablelands and coastal inland, to south of Tamworth

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Pultenaea microphylla (Image: Alan Fairley)
Pultenaea microphylla

An erect to prostrate shrub, growing to a height of up to 2 metres with softly-hairy stems. It has a large natural distribution in NSW, growing from west of Sydney, south to around Bredbo (excluding the south coast), with a few records in north-east Victoria…

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Pultenaea mollis, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea mollisSoft Bush-pea / Guinea Flower Bush-pea

An erect or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 3 metres, with stems covered hairs that are often curled or twisted

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Pultenaea paleacea, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea paleaceaChaffy Bush-pea

A prostrate to erect shrub, with variables heights across its range, from prostrate to 0.5 m to 2 m tall. It grows along the NSW coast, north from Ulladulla (with old records further south now re-classified as different species), to Port Stephens,

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Pultenaea parviflora, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea parvifloraSydney Bush-pea

An erect shrub to a height of up to 1.5 – 2 metres. It is endemic to the Cumberland Plain of Western Sydney

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Pultenaea pedunculata, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea pedunculataMatted Bush-pea

A prostrate shrub, which can form dense matts to 1 metre or more in diameter with softy-hairy branches. Branches are up to several metres long but rarely more than 20 cm off the ground, and often forming roots.

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Pultenaea polifolia, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea polifoliaDusky Bush-pea

A shrub to 1.5 metres tall (usually smaller and can also grow prostrate), that has hairy stems. It has a large occurrence in NSW, growing from the Northern Tablelands

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Pultenaea retusa, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea retusaNotched Bush-pea

An erect shrub, potentially to 2 metres tall with a narrow spread; with hairy stems when young. It has a mostly coastal distribution in NSW, with some disjunctions

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Pultenaea rosmarinifolia, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea rosmarinifolia

An erect shrub to a height of 3 metres, with stems having appressed hairs. It is confined to , growing in two disjunct locations, from Doyalson-area to North Sydney (with a few records at Wedderburn); then from Jervis Bay, and further west, to Ulladulla.

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Pultenaea scabra, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea scabraRough Bush-pea

n erect or spreading shrub to a height of 2 metres with a narrow spread, with densely hairy stems. It grows in NSW, south from the area to the east of Mudgee and Gulgong

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Pultenaea spinosa, image Dan Clarke
Pultenaea spinosaSpiny Bush-pea, Grey Bush-pea

A shrub (sometimes prostrate) but often to 3 metres tall by 2 metres or more wide. It has a widespread natural occurrence in NSW, growing on the western slopes, most of the tablelands and also common in coastal subdivisions.

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Pultenaea stipularis, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea stipularisFine-leaf Bush-pea, Handsome Bush-pea

An erect shrub to 2 metres tall, with hairless stems. It has a comparatively small range in NSW, growing mostly in coastal areas, from Gosford, as far west as near Bilpin and south to Springwood

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Pultenaea subspicata, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea subspicataLow Bush-pea

An erect to prostrate shrub, to 0.6 metres tall, with sparsely hairy stems.

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Pultenaea tuberculata, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea tuberculataWreath Bush-pea

A spreading to upright shrub, to 2 metres high, spreading to 1 meter wide, sometimes multi-stemmed, with soft curly hairs on the stems that are obscured by stipules.

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Pultenaea villifera, image Alan Fairley
Pultenaea villiferaCobwebbed Bush-pea

A spreading to erect shrub, to 2 metres tall by 2 metres wide, with moderately hairy stems with hairs being villous (spreading, open and shaggy).

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Pultenaea villosa, image Dan Clarke
Pultenaea villosaHairy Bush-pea, Bronze Bush-pea

A shrub to 2 or 3 metres tall (sometimes prostrate in some northern populations), with smooth bark and hairy stems.

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Pycnosorus globosus
Pycnosorus globosusBilly Buttons

Pycnosorus globosus, Billy Buttons, a member of the Asteraceae (Daisy) family, is a dense ground cover with a spread of at least 50 centimetres. Soft leaves are grey, long and narrow. Golden globular flower heads are carried above the foliage on long stems. A large number of flowers appear in spring and summer. Mature plants may carry dozens of flower heads. The foliage provides a background to the flowers.

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Ranunculus inundatus, image Alan Fairley
Ranunculus inundatusRiver Buttercup

Ranunculus inundatus, River Buttercup, is an aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial. The Buttercups are members of the Ranunculaceae family. The leaves are mid green, divided into numerous lobes, and held on a 15 centimetre petiole. Flowers are shiny yellow, 1.5 centimetres across with 5-7 petals and held above the foliage by 30 centimetre stalks.

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Ranunculus meristus
Ranunculus meristusRough-fruited Buttercup

Ranunculus meristus, the Rough-fruited Buttercup or Spinyfruit Buttercup, is a perennial herb that inhabits damp places and belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. The thin leaves are bright green and divided into many linear segments up to two millimetres wide. Flowers are typical shiny buttercup yellow with from 7 to 11 petals.

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Rhodamnia rubescens
Rhodamnia rubescensScrub Turpentine, Brown MalletwoodMyrtaceae

A tree to potentially 25 m high, often seen as a medium to large shrub.It has an almost-purely coastal occurrence in NSW, growing north of Batemans Bay, along the coast, west to Barrington Tops National Park, extending northwards into Queensland, to around Mount Perry, (west of Hervey Bay).

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Rhodanthe anthemoides
Rhodanthe anthemoidesChamomile Sunray

Rhodanthe anthemoides, commonly known as Chamomile Sunray, is a compact native daisy with dark green foliage that grows to a maximum height of 30 centimetres. Rose-pink buds appear in winter and they are followed by masses of white flowers that are carried for many months. Light pruning is appreciated as flowers fade.

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Rhododendron viriosum flowers, image Jeff Howes
Rhododendron viriosum (syn. Rhododendron lochiae)

For many years, Rhododendron lochiae was considered to be Australia’s only native Rhododendron, only found growing within the Bellendron Kerr Range inland from Cairns. However, recent investigations have indicated that two distinct species exist: Rhododendron lochiae and Rhododendron viriosum.

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Rhodomyrtus psidioides
Rhodomyrtus psidioidesNative GuavaMyrtaceae

A shrub or small tree to 12 m high with brown scaly bark.It has a purely coastal occurrence in NSW, growing on the central and northern coastal areas, north from around Gosford, with patchy records, along the coast as far as Maryborough ion Queensland, with isolated records further north at Rockhampton and Mackay.

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Ricinocarpos bowmanii, Image Alan Fairley
Ricinocarpos bowmaniiPink Wedding-bush, Western Wedding-bushEuphorbiaceae

A shrub to 1.5 m high by up to 3 metres wide. It grows many on the western slopes of NSW, with some records on the southern tablelands and the far western plains; south from around Yarrangobilly Caves in Kosciuszko National Park, north through Tumut and then occurring sporadically around Cowra and Orange and west to north-west of Lake Cargelligo

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Ricinocarpos pinifolius flower
Ricinocarpos pinifoliusWedding Bush

Ricinocarpos pinifolius is local to the Sydney region and should be on everyone’s ‘must have’ list for their garden. I planted this plant about 10 years ago in my garden, in the northern Sydney suburb of Westleigh and it is now approximately 2 metres high and produces flowers from September to well into December.

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Sannantha crassa flowers
Sannantha crassa (syn. Baeckea virgata , syn. Babingtonia crassa)

Sannantha crassa is a member of the Myrtaceae family and is a shrub that is said to reach a height of 2.5 metres. In our cold climate garden plants rarely exceed one metre in height. The branches are pendulous with aromatic, lanceolate to elliptical leaves.

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Sannantha pluriflora, image Alan Fairley
Sannantha plurifloraTall Baeckea

Sannantha pluriflora is a shrub up to 4 m tall occurring from Gippsland in Victoria and northwards to Port Stephens in New South Wales

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Scaevola 'Aussie Salute'
Scaevola ‘Aussie Salute’

Scaevola ‘Aussie Salute’ is a cultivar of the well known Scaevola aemula. This handsome, upright variety reaches a height of 40 centimetres with a spread of 50 centimetres. The lobed leaves are up to ten centimetres long and light green. During spring and summer plants become covered with large, purple-blue fan-shaped flowers. An ‘Aussie Salute’ in full flower is an eye-catching horticultural spectacle.

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Scaevola 'Mauve Mist'
Scaevola ‘Mauve Mist’

Scaevola ‘Mauve Mist’ is a member of the Goodeniaceae family and is a cultivar of Scaevola albida. Species in this genus are usually known as Fan Flowers which refers to the flower shape. ‘Mauve Mist’ is a dense, suckering ground cover that forms a mat that may reach a diameter of one metre.

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Scolopia braunii, Image Alan Fairley
Scolopia brauniiFlintwood, Mountain Cherry, Brown Birch, ScolopiaSalicaceae

A shrub to medium-sized tree, capable or reaching to 25 metres tall, with a canopy spread of 5 metres or more.

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Senna artemisioides flowers
Senna artemisioides

Senna artemisioides produces bright yellow flowers about 1.5 cm diameter which are borne in small clusters in the leaf axils over a long period from late Autumn/early Winter through to Spring. These are followed by brown/black pods 4-8cm long x 1cm wide.

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Solanum aviculare flower
Solanum aviculareKangaroo Apple

Solanum aviculare is known as the Kangaroo Apple and is a small to medium spreading shrub. In our cold climate garden plants usually reach a maximum height of three metres. The leaves may be entire or lobed, up to 30 centimetres long, deep green above and lighter green beneath. Our specimens have lobed leaves. Flowers are up to four centimetres across and an eye-catching bluish-violet with a deep violet star-shaped marking at the base and bright yellow anthers.

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Spyridium scortechinii flower, image Jeff Howes
Spyridium scortechinii (syn. Stenanthemum scortechninii)Corroboree, Cotton Bush

Spyridium scortechinii is a small, rounded shrub that reaches a maximum height of 80 cm to 1.5 metres with a spread of 60 centimetres. Lanceolate leaves are about 2 centimetres long. Masses of white, woolly flowers are carried in dense terminal heads and cover plants in spring.

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Stenocarpus salignus, image Dan Clarke
Stenocarpus salignusScrub Beefwood, Red Silky Oak

A tree, sometimes found as a large shrub, growing to potentially 30 metres tall by 10 metres wide. The trunk has dark brown and fissured bark and can have buttress roots.

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Stenocarpus sinuatus
Stenocarpus sinuatusFirewheel Tree, Fire Tree, White Beefwood, Tulip Flower

A potentially large tree (usually growing slowly), up to 40 metres tall with an upright erect canopy and with a trunk potentially reaching over 70 cm in diameter. The bark is greyish brown, not smooth and irregular.

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Stypandra glauca, image Alan Fairley
Stypandra glaucaNodding Blue-lily

An erect clumping lily-herbaceous and rhizomatous perennial to 1.5 metres tall, with aerial flowering stems.

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Synoum glandulosum (flower), image Alan Fairley
Synoum glandulosumScentless Rosewood

A common, evergreen, large shrub to small tree, growing to 8 metres tall by several metres wide.

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Syzygium australe (fruit), image Alan Fairley
Syzygium australeBrush Cherry, Scrub Cherry

Syzygium australe – A shrub to small tree, to about 10 m tall in its natural habitat. It grows along the coast of NSW, north of Batemans Bay, in warmer rainforest, often near streams. Extends into Qld, along the coast, up to around Cairns.

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Syzygium luehmanii, image Heather Miles
Syzygium luehmanniiSmall-leaved Lilly Pilly, Riberry, Riberry Lilly Pilly

Syzygium luehmannii – A medium-sized to large lilly pilly, potentially with large buttresses, growing to 30 metres tall in its natural habitat. It grows is restricted to the North Coast of NSW, growing in coastal subtropical and littoral rainforest, north of Kempsey. Extends into south-east Queensland.

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Syzygium oleosum (flower), image Alan Fairley
Syzygium oleosumBlue Lilly Pilly, Blue Cherry

Syzygium oleosum is a shrub to medium tree, to about 10 – 15 m tall in its natural habitat. It grows along the coast of NSW, in subtropical, warm temperate and littoral rainforest. Found from north of Port Kembla in NSW, north along the entire NSW coast, into Queensland to the far north.

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Syzygium paniculatum (fruit), image Alan Fairley
Syzygium paniculatumMagenta Lilly Pilly, Magenta Cherry

Syzygium paniculatum – A shrub to medium tree, to about 15 – 20 m tall in its natural habitat. It grows along the coast of NSW, in subtropical and littoral rainforest, as well as sand dunes behind the beach. Found from generally north of Jervis Bay to about Buladelah.

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Syzygium paniculatum flower
Syzygium paniculatum (Dwarf Form)Magenta Cherry, Dwarf Scrub Cherry, Magenta Lilly Pilly

Syzygium paniculatum dwarf form is a great screening plant. It grows naturally in rainforests between Bulahdelah and Jervis Bay and is listed as a vulnerable species in the wild. Attractive white fluffy flowers appear in summer and are followed by large, fleshy, magenta-coloured fruits. These are oval in shape and around 20 mm long and contain a single seed. The fruits are edible and are often made into jams.

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Syzygium wilsonii, image Heather Miles
Syzygium wilsoniiPowderpuff Lilly Pilly, Water Gum, Plum Satinash

Syzygium wilsonii is a shrub to 3 m tall and slow growing. It grows in far northern Queensland in rainforests, from Ingham to Cooktown.

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Syzygium ‘Cascade’Lilly Pilly

Syzygium ‘Cascade’ – A shrub to about 4 m tall. It is a cultivated hybrid between Syzygium luehmannii (a NSW/Qld species) and Syzygium wilsonii (a northern Queensland species).

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Telopea mongaensis , image Alan Fairley
Telopea mongaensisMonga Waratah or Braidwood Waratah

Telopea mongaensis is a shrub or small tree, endemic to Australia, it grows to 6 metres high, spreading to 4 metres wide.  

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Telopea oreades, image Alan Fairley
Telopea oreadesGippsland Waratah, Mountain Waratah, Victorian Waratah

Telopea oreades is a shrub or tree to 12 metres high potentially, often multi-stemmed and with a lignotuber.

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Telopea speciosissima, image Alan Fairley
Telopea speciosissimaWaratah

Telopea speciosissima is an upright shrub, to about 3 to 4 metres high and usually with a narrow spread; often seen shorter and multi-stemmed, bearing a lignotuber. 

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Tetratheca bauerifolia, image Alan Fairley
Tetratheca bauerifoliaHeath Pink-bells

soft-wooded shrub to 30 cm high. It occurs naturally in the general south-eastern quarter of NSW

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Tetratheca decora, image Alan Fairley
Tetratheca decora

In this species, the fruits is to 5 mm long with seeds to 4 mm long, brown and smooth, with fine hairs and an appendage.

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Tetratheca ericifolia, image Alan Fairley
Tetratheca ericifolia

Plant them along open borders or in rockeries for best affect, with well-drained soils and some shade during the warmer months.

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Tetratheca glandulosa, image Alan Fairley
Tetratheca glandulosa

Plant them along open borders or in rockeries for best affect, with well-drained soils and some shade during the warmer months.

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image by Alan Fairley
Tetratheca junceaBlack-eyed Susan

In this species, capsules are obovate to 8 mm long; with seeds to 4 mm long, brown in colour and with fine hairs

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Tetratheca neglecta, image Alan Fairley
Tetratheca neglecta Black-eyed Susan

A soft-wooded shrub, to about 60 cm high, with cylindrical to 4-angled stems, with a mixture of short and long hairs.

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Tetratheca rubioides, image Alan Fairley
Tetratheca rubioidesPink-eyes, Black-eyed Susan

A compact shrub, usually to 0.6 m high.  It is endemic to NSW; growing mainly on the central tablelands / coastal divide, with concentrated records as far north as Newnes Plateau, south through Lithgow and east to Kurrajong-area, south to Katoomba and Lake Burragorang. There are outlying records further north; east of Rylestone near Mt Coricudgy, and as far south as Braidwood and Mogo State Forest. 

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Tetratheca rupicola, image Alan Fairley
Tetratheca rupicolaPink-eyes, Black-eyed Susan

A shrub usually to 0.4 m high, spreading to about the same width.

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Tetratheca shiressii, image Alan Fairley
Tetratheca shiressii Pink-eyes, Black-eyed Susan

Small shrub to about 0.7 metres tall, often multi-stemmed with a radial spread to about 0.3 metres.

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Tetratheca thymifolia, image Alan Fairley
Tetratheca thymifoliaThyme Pink-bells, Black-eyed Susan

A shrub to about 1 m high, often with many stems radiating out to form a width about 0.5 m wide.

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Thelychiton kingianum
Thelychiton (Dendrobium) kingianumPink Rock Orchid

The common name of Thelychiton (Dendrobium) kingianum is ‘Pink rock orchid’ and as you can see, my species is a very dark pink coloured form and an outstanding reliable plant for any garden with a few rocks. This species occurs naturally along eastern Australia from just above Newcastle to the central Queensland highlands and grows naturally on rocky surfaces.

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Themeda triandra
Themeda triandraKangaroo Grass

Themeda triandra is a tufted perennial reaching a height of 1.5 metres with a spread of up to 1 metre. Leaves are 10-50 cm long and 2-5 mm wide, green to grey and dry to an orange-brown in summer. The flowering period is from December to February. During this time plants produce large, distinctive, red-brown spikelets carried on branched stems. Spikelets have black awns (see image) that are retained by the seeds when shed. The spikelets make this perhaps the easiest of our native grasses to identify.

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Thryptomene baeckeace flowers
Thryptomene baeckeacea

Thryptomene baeckeacea is one of the myrtle family and has profuse tiny pink or white or pinky mauve flowers in clusters from May to October, as well as spot flowering during summer and autumn. When purchasing this plant, it is best to do so when it is flower so you know what the flower colour is. It grows to about one metre high (or a bit less) and about 1.2m wide with a slightly weeping habit.

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Thryptomene calycina flower spikes
Thryptomene calycinaGrampian’s Thryptomene, Grampian’s Heath-myrtle

Thryptomene calycina is known as the Grampian’s Thryptomene or Grampian’s Heath-myrtle. It is a small to medium, rather bushy shrub. The small, oblong leaves are 1.5 centimetres long, 0.5 centimetres wide, deep green, aromatic and tightly clustered along the stems. Flowers are 0.5 centimetres across, white and carried in the leaf bases at the tops of stems.

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Trachymene incisa, image Heather Miles
Trachymene incisaNative parsnip

Trachymene incisa is a small plant with a small edible tap root, known as native parsnip. Mass plant to make an impact, using it as a low border in a cottage-style garden or in pots.

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Tremandra stelligera flower
Tremandra stelligera

Tremandra stelligera is a member of the Elaeocarpaceae family and is an erect or spreading shrub reaching a maximum height of two metre.  Flowers are four to five petalled, 1.6 centimetres across, pink, purple or purple-blue. Blooms are solitary on hairy stalks and conspicuous particularly the purple-blue form.

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Tristaniopsis laurina in the wild, image Heather Miles
Tristaniopsis laurinaWater Gum, Kannooka

Tristaniopsis laurina – A very commonly planted tree, reaching 30 metres tall in its natural habitat. It has smooth brown-grey mottled bark. It grows naturally along most of the entire coast of NSW

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Veronica arenaria
Veronica arenaria

Veronica arenaria is a member of the Scrophulariaceae family in company with the exotic Snapdragons and Foxgloves. Veronica arenaria is a small, multiple-stemmed shrub. The stems are usually upright. The light green leaves may be entire or with irregular lobes. The flowers are produced in terminal racemes. They vary in colour from pale violet-blue to deep violet-blue and are both profuse and extremely conspicuous.

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Veronica perfoliata
Veronica perfoliataDigger’s Speedwell

Veronica perfoliata is a dwarf to small shrub that reaches a height of one metre in our garden. Many stems arise from a woody rootstock. Leaves are ovate, opposite, clasped tightly to the stem and with a leathery texture. The leaves are similar in appearance to the juvenile foliage of some eucalypts. In fact, when not flowering, visitors often ask: “what sort of miniature gum tree is that?”

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Verticordia plumosa
Verticordia plumosaPlumed Featherflower

Verticordia plumosa is a member of the Myrtaceae family and there are about 100 species in the genus. With the exception of a few species, found in northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory, the lion’s share of verticordias occur in the south-west of Western Australia. Their common name is Featherflowers.

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Viminaria juncea, image Alan Fairley
Viminaria juncea Native Broom, Golden Spray

It has a mostly coastal distribution in NSW, found as far south as the Victorian border on the coast, commonly between Bermagui and the north of Sydney and then patchy to the Queensland border. Plants are found as far west as Lithgow and Putty and areas such as Bulahdelah. It extends into Queensland, along the coast to Maryborough.

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Viola banksii, Upper Causeway, image Alan Fairley
Viola banksiiWild Violet

An herbaceous, and evergreen groundcover, which grows to 10 cm tall, but may spread to form a colony several metres wide, spreading by stolons.

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Viola betonicifolia, image Alan Fairley
Viola betonicifoliaArrowhead Violet, Showy Violet, Mountain Violet

A small perennial herb which usually grows as one single plant (not forming colonies), but often found in clusters, with basal leaves.

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Viola caleyana, image Alan Fairley
Viola caleyanaSwamp violet, Caley’s Violet

A herbaceous perennial with stems to 0.3 metres long and often trailing, not really forming dense colonies. It has a patchy occurrence in NSW, in the coastal and tablelands subdivisions

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Viola hederaceae, image Kevin Stokes
Viola hederaceaNative Violet / Ivy-leaved Violet

Viola hederacea is an evergreen tufted ground cover, which grows to 10 cm tall but may spread to form a colony several metres wide, spreading by stolons. It has round to kidney-shaped (reniform) leaves, to 3 cm wide, with variable toothing on the margins.

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Viola sieberiana, image Alan Fairley
Viola sieberiana

A short perennial herb spreading by stolons, forming clusters. In NSW, it has a mostly coastal and tablelands distribution (close to the boundaries)

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Viola silicestris, image Alan Fairley
Viola silicestrisSandstone Violet

A herbaceous perennial, spreading by stolons and forming colonies. It has a mostly coastal distribution in NSW growing mainly in to the northern and southern state borders.

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Vittadinia cuneata
Vittadinia cuneataFuzzweed

Vittadinia cuneata is a small woody annual or perennial herb reaching a height of about 30 centimetres. The leaves are wedge-shaped or oblong. Small daisy flowers are pale mauve to blue and the seed heads are similar to miniature dandelion heads (see thumbnail). Both flowers and seed heads are prolific. Spring and summer are the main flowering periods with sporadic flowers appearing at other times.

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Waterhousea floribunda, image Heather Miles
Waterhousea floribundaWeeping Lilly Pilly, Weeping Myrtle

Waterhousea floribunda – A lilly-pilly tree, potentially reaching 30 metres in its native habitat, it is found in riverine rainforest, often close to streams, on the North Coast of NSW (north from and as far west as the Hunter Valley) extending along the coast into far northern Queensland (to around Cairns). This is only one species in NSW.

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Westringia eremicola flower
Westringia eremicolaSlender Westringia / Slender Western Rosemary

Westringia eremicola is a member of the Lamiaceae family in company with the Prostantheras and culinary mints. There are about 25 species and the genus is native to Australia. There are also many cultivars. This is a small shrub with linear, slightly prickly leaves. The leaves are carried in whorls of three around the stem. Unlike the Prostantheras, Westringias do not have aromatic foliage.

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Westringia fruticosa, image Alan Fairley
Westringia fruticosaCoastal rosemary or coastal westringia

Westringia fruticosa has neatly whorled leaves to 2 cm long. lt reaches at least 3 m high and can reach 3 m across, often forming a regular dome. The flowers are white, hairy and have the upper petal divided into two lobes (a shape known as labiate) and appear all year.

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Westringia longifolia
Westringia longifolia

Westringia longifolia is an open, upright shrub that reaches a height of two metres in our cold climate garden. Leaves are bright green, linear and about three centimetres long. In typical Westringia fashion leaves are held in whorls of three.

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West 'Glabra Cadabra'
Westringia ‘Glabra Cadabra’(cultivar)

Westringia ‘Glabra Cadabra’ is a hybrid which develops into a dense shrub about 1.5 metres high by the same width. The leaves are glossy and held in whorls of four around the stems. Violet flowers are carried in clusters for many months. In our cold climate garden, specimens are seldom without flowers. Both foliage and flowers are attractive features.

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Westringia 'Poorinda Pavane'
Westringia ‘Poorinda Pavane’(cultivar)

Westringia ‘Poorinda Pavane’ is a spreading shrub that reaches a height of 2 metres in our garden. Leaves are in whorls of four, up to two centimetres long, mid green above and white-hairy beneath. The foliage is dense and provides safe nesting sites for small native birds.

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Westringia 'Wynyabbie Gem' with hover fly
Westringia ‘Wynyabbie Gem’(cultivar)

Westringia ‘Wynyabbie Gem’ is a hybrid which arose in cultivation at Wynyabbie Nursery, Jindalee, Queensland. The cultivar name is derived from the nursery name. I planted my first Westringia ‘Wynyabbie Gem’ plant about eight years ago in my garden, in the northern Sydney suburb of Westleigh.

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Wollemia nobilis (tree top), Wollemia nobilis (female), Image Alan Fairley
Wollemia nobilisWollemi PineAraucariaceae

It is well known that this species was (and still is) an internationally renowned discovery and has, hence, become a famous plant in its own right; discovered in 1994 in remote and hard-to-access canyons in Wollemi National Park, about 150 km north-west of Sydney. The exact location is kept a close secret but it is said the tree exists in 3 canyons.

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Woollsia pungens (red), image Alan Fairley
Woollsia pungensSnow-heath

A shrub to 2 metres tall (potentially scrambling up to 3 metres tall through other shrubs).

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Wurmbea dioica
Wurmbea dioicaEarly Nancy

Wurmbea dioica, Early Nancy, is a member of the Colchicaceae family and is a small perennial herb with a corm, two or three annual leaves and a single flowering spike carrying one to eight flowers. Spikes may be up to 30 centimetres tall. Blooms have six petals. They are usually white and appear in spring. Early Nancy is mostly dioecious (male and female flowers on different plants). A small percentage of flowers may have both male and female parts. The fruit is a one centimetre long capsule that contains 10-50 seeds.

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Xanthostemon chrysanthus, image Heather Miles
Xanthostemon chrysanthusGolden Penda

Xanthostemon chrysanthus is a a very commonly planted tree, reaching 20 metres tall in its natural habitat. It is endemic to far northern Queensland, from Townsville to Cape York, forming part of tropical rainforest vegetation.

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Xereochrysum bracteatum, image Alan Fairley
Xerochrysum bracteatumGolden Everlasting Daisy

A soft, mainly herbaceous perennial, single or multi-stemmed, sometimes growing with an erect shrub-like habit, to about 1 m tall, usually with a narrow spread. It can vary in its habit with some forms annual and others perennial. 

ground-covers
Xerochrysum viscosum, image Alan Fairley
Xerochrysum viscosumSticky Everlasting, Yellow Paper Daisy, Shiny Everlasting or Golden Everlasting.

A soft, herbaceous low-growing annual or biennial plant (occasionally perennial) to about 0.75 metres high by about 0.5 metres wide, single or multi-stemmed with stems sticky.

ground-covers
Zieria arborescens, image Alan Fairley
Zieria arborescensTree Zieria or Stinkwood

A robust large shrub, growing to potentially 10 metres tall.

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Zieria aspalathoides, image Alan Fairley
Zieria aspalathoidesWhorled Zieria / Heath Zieria

A shrub resembling a heath-plant, growing to a height of 1.5 metres by 1.5 metres wide.

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Zieria baeuerlenii, image Alan Fairley
Zieria baeuerleniiBomaderry Zieria

An open shrub, with stems often trailing on the ground (procumbent), usually growing to a height up to 1 metre.

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Zieria compacta, image Alan Fairley
Zieria compacta

An erect, bushy shrub, growing to about 2 metres high with a 1-metre spread and forming a compact, dense habit.

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Zieria covenyi, image Alan Fairley
Zieria covenyiCoveny’s Zieria

An upright shrub, potentially to 2 metres high (but often much smaller), reportedly growing from root suckers.

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Zieria 'Grey Ghost', image Heather Miles
Zieria cytisoidesDowny Zieria

A shrub with plenty of foliage, usually growing to up to 3 metres with a spread to more than 1 metre.

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Zieria furfuracea, image Alan Fairley
Zieria furfuracea

A shrub growing to 3 metres tall. It occurs naturally in NSW, north from Wyong, growing mainly on the North Coast

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Zieria granulata, image Alan Fairley
Zieria granulataHill Zieria, Illawarra Zieria

A shrub growing to 3 metres typically, (potentially reaching 6 metres). It is strongly aromatic.

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Zieria involucrata (buds), image Alan Fairley
Zieria involucrata

A narrow and erect shrub, growing to a height to 2 metres, with an overall green-grey appearance.

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Zieria laevigata, image Alan Fairley
Zieria laevigataSmooth Zieria, Twiggy Midge Bush, Angled Zieria

An erect shrub to a height of 1.5 m. It had a widespread natural distribution, growing mostly north of Jervis Bay

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Zieria murphyi, image Alan Fairley
Zieria murphyiMurphy’s Zieria / Velvet Zieria

A slender shrub reaching 2 metres in height. It has a restricted distribution in NSW, with a few records at Mt Tomah

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Zieria pilosa, image Alan Fairley
Zieria pilosaHairy Zieria

A shrub, growing to 1 metre tall with a spread to 0.5 metres. It has a wide coastal distribution on the NSW Coast

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Zieria prostrata, image Warren Sheather
Zieria prostrataHeadland Zieria

A prostrate shrub, only to a few centimetres tall, forming ground-covering mats to 0.5 or more metres.

ground-covers
Zieria robusta, image Alan Fairley
Zieria robustaRound-leafed Zieria

An erect and dense shrub, growing to a height of 2.5 metres. It has an interesting distribution with much disjunction

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Zieria smithii close up
Zieria smithiiSandfly Zieria, Sandfly Bush

An erect and strong shrub to 2 metres tall. It has a very large, mainly coastal distribution, growing from eastern-central Victoria

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