Small Native Shrubbery Times Three

 PLANT OF THE WEEK

Scientific Name:Leptospermum flavescens 'Cardwell.'

Common Name: Yellow Tea tree

Family: Myrtaceae

Growth: 1.5- 2m in height

Distribution: south coast of New South Wales up to far north Queensland.

Native Habitat: sandstone derived soils.

Flowering: late winter to summer (August to January.) Flowers are cup shaped, creamy white.

Tea trees when they are in heavy flower, you can't see the leaf because they are so floriferous!

• Leptospermum Cardwell is a tea tree with intensely fragrant leaves all year round, and is covered in typical tea tree flowers from late winter to summer.

Leptospermum 'Cardwell' is a small tidy bush with a weeping habit. Looking similar to a miniature willow tree.

After flowering the little nut like fruits appear on the bush.
I'm talking with Adrian O'Malley, horticulturist and native plant expert.

Tea trees are not necessarily long lived so getting 5 years out of this small shrub is probably good going.

Plant tea trees in fairly sandy or light soils rather than heavy clay soils.
Bird and insect attracting makes it a lovely addition to your garden.
Look out for the “Cardwell’ cultivar because of it’s weeping habit and how it’s covered in tiny flowers that make it stand out like a beacon when planted in your garden.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: Nr. 2

Scientific name: Myoporum parvifolium

Common Name: Creeping Boobialla

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Distribution: south western New South Wales, central and western Victoria and eastern South Australia.

Description: mat forming shrub with tiny, linear leaves

Growth: spread is up to 3 metres

Flowering:late spring through to early autumn.

Are you after a low growing plant that’s tough, has pretty little flowers, and doesn’t mind neglect?
Sounds too perfect, but there is such a plant and it’s endemic to Australia.
Let’s find out more about creeping boobialla
I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, qualified horticulturist and native plant expert. 

Also bird and insect attracting makes it a lovely addition to your garden. 

this is one tough little plant, coping with dry sandy soils for long periods, even saline soils.

Excellent as a bank stabiliser in sun or part shade.

• Creeping boobialla is also excellent as a lawn alternative in low traffic areas.
• Once the plant has established, you can virtually forget it about.

PLANT OF THE WEEK Nr 3

Common Name: Boronia

Scientific Name: Boronia megastigma; Boronia spp.

Family: Rutaceae

Distribution: in most states

Flowering: winter to spring; flowers are 4-petalled either star shaped or bell-shaped; flower colour is mainly pink or brown, also yellow and green.

Foliage: many have highly aromatic leaves.

yellow tea tree,

Spring usually is bursts on the scene with flowers galore and abundance of heady scent from many different plants.

If you wanted the queen of scented plants though, you can’t go past this smell native shrub, the boronia, that offers a scent way above its class in size. 
Sounds lovely doesn’t it and it’s endemic to Australia.
Let’s find out more…
I'm talking withAdrian O’Mally, qualified horticulturist and native plant expert. 

• Butterfly and insect attracting, boronia always make a lovely addition to your garden. 
• Plant it where you can enjoy the scent the most, somewhere near the back door, or your outside eating area would be idea.

Most perfumed cultivars:

• Brown Boronia:Boronia megastigma
• Red Boronia (B. heterophylla),
• Pale-pink Boronia (B. floribunda),
• the green-flowered, Bremer Boronia (B. clavata),
• Winter Boronia (B. purdiana),
• Yellow Boronia (B. tetrandra) 
• Native Rose (B. serrulata). 

Look out for these different cultivars of boroniasin your nursery, not just the brown boronia.

If you have any questions about anything gardening, why not email us realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675