When we think of Australian native trees a few species immediately spring to mind, of course the eucalypts and the wattles are at the top of the list, the Queensland Bottle Tree and the recently re – discovered Wollemi Pine ( Wollemia nobilis) are all well know. However their are many other native trees well suited to growing in the Australian garden.
Acacia pycnantha (picture right) is the Golden Wattle, Australia’s floral emblem, while Eucalyptus globulus is the Tasmanian Blue Gum, widely grown for timber in plantations.
Larger growing native trees such as Angophora costata andAngophora floribunda are often overlooked, excellent specimens for large gardens and parks. Backhousia Citriodora or lemon scented myrtle is an excellent small to median sized tree with a lovely lemon scent.
Schefflera actinophylla (syn. Brassaia actinophylla) is the Umbrella Tree, reaching 10 -15 m its foliage hangs in an ‘umbrella shape’ red flower appear above the foliage from summer to autumn, best suited to tropical to sub tropical climates. Stenocarpus sinuatus or Firewheel Tree is another warm climate tree, related to the protea’s, it can reach over 30m but in cultivation around 1/2 this, brilliant red flowers. And if you ar looking for brilliant flowers then Brachychiton acerifolius or Illawarra flame tree is another great native tree for sub tropical Australia.
We also have Araucaria bidwilli or Bunya Pine, dark prickly foliage and huge trunks, another one for large parks. The She Oaks, Casuarina or Allocasuarina make great trees for open roadside planting.
If we said Toona ciliata most Australians would say, never heard of it yet this is the Australian Red Cedar, not famed as landscape tee but as a timber tree. Better known are the Leptospermuns or Tea Trees, excellent smaller trees for windbreaks and hedges. And of course the Paperbarks or Melaleucas, what wonderful texture in the trunks.
Telopea speciosissima is the Waratah a small tree to large shrub, beautiful flowers. And then the Banksias, integrifolia, spinulosa and marginata all wonderful large shrubs to small trees.
Nothofagus Cunninghamii is an evergreen Beech tree, from Victoria and Tasmania and Nothofagus Moorei is the Antarctic Beech or Australian, both large trees and neither well known.
And finally Corymbia ficifolia the red flowering gum, sure it has had a name change (from Eucalyptus ficifolia) but it just might be that iconic Australian Native tree for you garden
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