August 2012 What’s on in August . . . Australian Native Bees Propagation Day with Dr Ken Walker Sunday 19 August at 2 pm What do you know about native bees? How do they fit in Instead of a garden visit this month, we are having a to the pollination of native ? How are they different from propagation workshop, where we can get our hands dirty, the introduced European bees? prepare cuttings under supervision by people with Come along to our August meeting and find out. As lots of experience, and go home with some Senior Curator of Entomology and Arachnology at the pots of cuttings to see if they grow! Melbourne Museum, Dr Ken Walker has a long interest in This workshop will be held at Karwarra Garden, Kalorama. native Australian bees and their role in pollination, and is a Lindy Harris, the Curator of Karwarra, will be setting things major contributor to our understanding of arthropod diversity up and showing us what to do. She is willing for us to in . His team is building the collection continuously, select cuttings from anything that is growing in the Karwarra focusing on geographic areas and taxonomic groups that are garden, so you can choose the plants that most interest you. under-represented. We haven’t done anything like this for quite a while, Ken has a special interest in the sweat bees (Halictidae), so it will be a great opportunity to share our propagating having revised the type subgenus of Lasioglossum in experiences and learn from each other. We hope that some Australia. This work was central to his PhD, but is an ongoing of you who do propagation will come and share what you area of interest. Lasioglossum is widespread globally, do, and that others who would like to have a go containing about 1700 spp, and is the largest genus of bees. will come and pick up some valuable tips. His talk will provide insights into the biology and importance of bees to the flora of Australia. Also those attending the Gardening Course will be present What is a “sweat bee”? Wikipedia tells us that “sweat bee” at Karwarra on this day to learn about propagation, so it will is the common name for any bees that are attracted to the be a great opportunity for Maroondah members to mix salt in human sweat. In its strict application, the name refers with the Course people. to members of the Halictidae, a large family of bees that are All propagating materials will be provided, common in most of the world, except Australia and Southeast but please bring some Asia where they are only a few species. As with many sharp secateurs or scissors. common names, however, the term “sweat bee” is applied colloquially to many different insects in different continents. The Karwarra Garden is behind the sports oval at Kalorama (Melway 120 B9) Friday 17 August at 8.00pm Manchester Unity Hall 8 Main St, Blackburn Maranoa Festival (near Blackburn railway station) Saturday 11 August 10am — 3pm Because of concerns about spreading Myrtle Rust, the Maranoa Festival will not be selling plants this year. To fill the void, the focus will be back on the garden itself, with extra tours, and a display of specimens collected within the garden by Maroondah APS Group. There will be APS book sales, including the recently launched “Plants of Melbourne’s Western Plains”. Entertainment will include music, animal displays, facepainting, basketry, a Cranbourne Botanic Gardens display, a Karwarra Garden display, storytelling, the Connies, a free BBQ and coffee etc. We guarantee you will have a great time. and if not we will refund your entrance fee. see page 3 for the story about this logo (there is none !!) —Paul Birch Specimen Table Our thanks to Elspeth Jacobs and Trevor Blake for leading the Specimen Table at our July meeting by Bill Aitchison

Grevillea ‘Fireworks’ – this very snails love them, and do showy is a hybrid with prune them a bit so they G. alpina as one parent and the other don’t become lanky. either G. ‘Scarlet Sprite’ or G. ‘Pink Pixie’. Thryptomene baeckeacea – this puts on a great show. Stenanthemum scortechinii – this It flowers for a long time is a pretty tough and spectacular and makes a fabulous cut plant that looks just superb when in flower, lasting inside for flower and grown in mass plantings. weeks. It prefers a well It does well in a dry spot, and will drained position in semi grow in either full sun or semi shade. shade or full sun. It would Templetonia retusa – this plant do well in a rockery, but from the pea family grows well in could be grown almost full sun or semi shade, and is ideal anywhere. It gets to about for coastal conditions. There is a Grevillea ‘Fireworks’ prostrate form available, although Hakea multilineata – this Max McDowall suggested that generally needs very good procumbent is a better description, drainage, although Trevor has with the plant getting up to 30cm. seen it doing well in yellow Grevillea dimorpha – there are clay. Bev Fox has a grafted both fine leaf and broad leaf forms of plant in her garden, about this species which has brilliant red 5m high and quite wide and flowers. It generally does not get flowering well, in a shaded too large, although Max McDowall position in winter. understands that there is a tree form Chorizema x varium – found in the Grampians. Merele Elspeth suggested that we Webb commented that she has found tend to ignore pea plants a bit that a tall bush form will grow well and don’t grow them as much under the eaves on the east side of a as we should. This one is well house, getting to about 3m high. worth growing, but note that Chorizema x varian

1m high. Merele Webb noted that there is a low cascading form available. Correa sp. – our specimen was an attractive form with open bells. Trevor observed that he used to think of all correas as being tough plants, but he has now decided that this does not apply to some of the C. reflexa forms. At his place, the fine leaf forms were the first to die during the recent drought years, and some of the upright forms lasted longer.

Hakea multilineata Stenocarpus sinuatus (Firewheel Tree) – a number of our members are growing this, and there is a magnificent old specimen at Maranoa Gardens. It comes from the edge of rainforests but is very tough. It loves clay. It often does not flower for 6 or 7 years or even more—perhaps not even for 15 years. Trevor noted that there are a number of species from the edge of rainforests that are tough— eg, lemon myrtle. Templetonia retusa — procumbent form

Page 2 Stenocarpus sinuatus Fire Wheel Tree by Paul Birch Curator, Maranoa Gardens

NE OF THE FEATURED PLANTS on the specimen table for the Maroondah APS July meeting was a fine Oexample of Stenocarpus sinuatus, still retaining bright red flowers and characteristic dark green lobed leaves. Trevor Blake mentioned that it was a rainforest species that tended to grow on the edges or in drier rainforests, and asked if the mature specimen at Maranoa Gardens still existed. For quite some time, staff at Maranoa have been searching for a suitable plant to be our emblem. At one stage we had Blandfordia nobilis (Chrismas Bells), and its image appeared on our early publications and badges. Unfortunately we had few successes at growing the plant, probably because of its fairly constant requirement for moisture. An emblem that you can’t grow well in your garden is hardly suitable! We thought of an indigenous plant like Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass), but whilst it grows naturally in some parts of Maranoa, it doesn’t really reflect the intent of the garden as a collection of native plants from anywhere in Australia.

More recently, whilst researching genus name, retaining the species the history of the garden and its name as Stenocarpus sinuatus in the creator John Watson, we found a Genera Plantarum Supplement 4(2) of nice little quote from 1910 about how 1848 (as far as I can gather.) the first flower from a Stenocarpus There are at least 7 synonyms, planted by John had been given to a including Stenocarpus cunninghamii. young girl, and how the gesture had Although the scientific name appears given her a “love of natural things”. quite complex, it compares with at least We think we still have that tree some 14 different common names—a good 80 or more years later, and it looks reason for using scientific names. The like it has a lot more years left. A common names include Yiel-yiel, Tulip combination of historical connection, Flower,White Silky Oak, (as is Grevillea spectacular flowers, and adaptability hilliana), Wheel of Fire Tree, Wheel-of- to the garden’s microclimate made it fire, White Oak, Fire Wheel Tree, Oak, an ideal choice for our new Maranoa White Beefwood. branding on signs, brochures, Stenocarpus sinuatus is described uniforms, and other promotional as small to medium tree with a bushy material. spreading canopy. It flowers from The genus Stenocarpus is part October to June and into July, as we of the Proteaceae family, and there are aware. Flowers are produced on are 10 endemic Australian species, twigs below or back from the leaves. Stenocarpus sinuatus being the most Each umbel has between 12–15 commonly grown, and native to flowers, are sessile, Queensland and New South Wales. stalked, with pollen presenter a Stenocarpus is derived from broad, oblique disk. Fruits are follicles the Greek stenos=narrow and containing up to 4 seeds. carpus=fruit. Sinuatus=sinuate, Propagation is from fresh seed. wavy. Seedlings grow prolifically, and can The plant name is sometimes need weeding around older plants. written Stenocarpus sinuatus Cuttings are generally slow and (Loudon) Endl. (Loudon) refers to difficult to strike. the first description by the gardening Hopefully some of the flowers will writer J.C.Loudon in Loudon’s Hortus remain for the Maranoa Festival on Britannicus Suppl.1 of 1832, where the Saturday 11 August, and Andrea it was named Agnostus sinuata. and I can show you the Fire Wheel Endl refers to the Austrian Botanist Tree on one of our guided tours Stephan Endlicher who revised the throughout the day. See you there. Page 3 Epacridaceae and notes from the talks given to the July meeting by Trevor Edwards and Gwen Elliot

written up by Elspeth Jacobs

REVOR EDWARDS Tset the scene for from extant progenitors (e.g. Erica us looking at some arborea) in North Africa and Europe. biological aspects of The tiny hair roots of are Ericaceae, including the Australian unique, and replace unicellular root component (sub-family Stypheliodeae hairs that occur in most other plants. = epacrids). Hair roots have an extensive surface Australia hosts some really area for fungal interaction, but are a antiquated ericas (palaeoendemics), liability when soils dry out. In addition, but some species have accessed the fungi are quiescent during dry periods. continent via long distance dispersal Consequently hair roots are deciduous (neoendemics). and die off in summer. It is a good idea Fossil records of Australian flora to strike cuttings of many temperate Epacris exserta — from Tasmania include microfossils in the form of Mediterranean species under cool pollen. These allow dating because conditions of autumn and winter. HE WORLD-WIDE they are a component of sediments. Similarly transplanting is best done at Tfamily Ericaceae Pollen characteristics are very low temperatures in autumn and winter. consists of Arbutus, useful in identifying different families. When he first arrived in Australia, Erica , and azaleas The oldest Ericaceae pollen in Trevor was surprised at the occurrence among others, and Australia has dated to of invasive ericas the Australian representatives the late Cretaceous (ca. it is a good idea to mulch around Victoria, Rhododendron and Agapetes. 75 million years ago) cultivated plants with low while the native In recent times, our Epacridaceae (Dettmann 1992). This nitrogen wood chips ones are struggling. have been absorbed into this means that the group The ericoid leaves family. This does not really affect survived the KT extinctions that that epitomise Erica are rolled, horticulturists or home gardeners, as obliterated the dinosaurs (65 mya). encapsulating the stomata (breathing our names remain the same. Here are This Chixulub asteroid impact pores) of lower leaf surface within a some of the Epacris that we can grow generated clouds, greenhouse gases, humid cavity; this limits water loss in our gardens. and 2 years of darkness across the but does not impede respiration, and globe. Could Australian ericoid in drier areas water loss is minimized. Epacris have been in cultivation ancestors have survived the blackout By contrast, Epacrids have flat leaves, for many years. In fact in the late through their ability to tap into the probably because they evolved at high 19th century, there were over 70 nutrients made available by fungal latitudes where light was limiting, named Epacris impressa cultivars in symbionts? and consequently they suffer from English greenhouses. This is still the desiccation, and have declined with Epacrids have flat leaves . . . most commonly grown species. The the drying of Australia. species name “impressa” comes from and consequently they suffer Trevor then handed over to Gwen the 5 indentations in the base of the from desiccation Elliot to talk about horticultural tube, not from the fact that it looks aspects of this family. impressive!. Certainly the basal ericoids There is a great variation in the include a number of specialists that tube shape, colour, and size. For parasitize fungi (mycoheterotrophs), example, flowers can be white, or and presumably fungi had a boost pink. Sometimes patches are all one with the massive decay of vegetation colour, or can be mixed. following the Chixulub meteor. Fungal Wonderful displays of Epacris symbioses dominate throughout impressa can be seen in the Grampians, the Ericaceae, and it is a good idea Portland, and Anglesea, to name just a to mulch cultivated plants with low few locations. nitrogen wood chips. Two good forms to grow are There are many species of epacrids Epacris impressa ‘Bega’, and Epacris in Australia (ca. 545 spp.), with impressa ‘Spring Pink’, the former most diversity in the Mediterranean found to flower in all months except climates, especially sWA. December. Similarly, in South Africa, the There are double-flowered variants diversity of Erica is high in winter of this species—eg, a double pink one rainfall areas of the Western Cape. from the northern Grampians, and a However the South African Ericas are white form from Cranbourne. This much younger, having been derived Epacris coriacea was discovered by Keilor Plains SGAP. Reference: Dettmann ME. 1992. Structure and floristics of Cretaceous vegetation of southern Gondwana: It no longer exists in the wild, but has implications for angiosperm biogeography. Palaeobotanist 41: 224-233. Page 4 safely been introduced into the RBG but as it flowers for such long periods Cranbourne, and general cultivation. it may need to be pruned while still in flower. Can be grown successfully in There are variations in the way a hanging basket. Some people prefer Epacris flowers are held on the stem. not to prune, and have lovely long Some with species with tubular flowering stems. There are some good are— selections—eg, ‘compact’ and ‘squat’. Epacris microphylla (Coral Heath) —although from from eastern states—eg, Wingello NSW, it does well in Vic. It has NSW. tubular showy flowers. There are also Epacris gunnii (= microphylla subsp variants here—eg, ‘Compact Form’ gunnii) from Tasmania. Epacris serpyllifolia from alpine Epacris ‘Nectar Pink’—this is a hybrid between E.reclinata and E.longiflora. There are not many Epacris gunnii — double flowered variant hybrids in epacris. Some Epacris have flared petals plant. This will introduce beneficial (mainly white)— mycorrhiza, which will help promote Epacris coriaceae from SW of good growth. Sydney. Can get to 3m. Use a non-flowering tip that can spring back when bent, and has a Also Epacris obtusifolia, pulchella, green rather than a brown stem. tasmanica, grandis, virgata, If no suitable cutting material is mucronulata, myrtifolia, available, prune the plant, and take lanuginosa, muelleri, breviflora, suitable material from the re-growth. purpurascens. Place cuttings in individual pots to Finally, an epacris with a long prevent root damage at re-potting. tube and cream to greenish flowers that has been recorded as flowering Cultivation and Maintenance in every month of the year: Epacris We need to know where a species calvertiana. comes from to understand Epacris pulchella Propagation This is a challenge. They can be soils, rainfall, and sub-alpine areas—eg, Cradle propagated from relatively fresh temperature, Mountain, Tas, distinguishable by seed using the bog method. Spent etc, as they the inflated base of the flower. flowerheads can be covered with occur from Epacris glacialis which gauze to enable coastal to alpine is prostrate in NSW strike cuttings of capture of ripe seed. areas. and Vic Alps. many temperate However, the use of Regular pruning after Epacris paludosa in Mediterranean species cuttings is usually colder areas of SE flowering helps under cool conditions preferred. states. A suitable cutting to keep the of autumn and winter medium is 6 parts plant bushy. – this is one of the perlite to 1 part Supplementary most popular and most easily grown Peat Moss or coconut fibre, with watering during epacris. Flowers can be red/white, or the addition of a small amount of dry periods is pink. Best to prune after flowering, soil from around a healthy epacris often required because of the fine hair roots. Light mulching Epacris impressa variant is a good idea, near Erica, Vic but not too close to the stem. Examples of other Australian Ericaceae that were previously included in Epacridaceae include Astroloma, Leucopogon, Woollsia, Richea, Dracophyllum.

Many thanks to Trevor and Gwen for the most interesting presentation. I can see us all going out to obtain several more epacris for our gardens.

all pictures by Gwen and Rodger Elliot The prostrate to low spreading selection of Epacris pulchella may reach 1m across after a number of years

Page 5 an artistic garden in Boronia July Garden Visit

by Sue Guymer

Rob and Val Henry started working on their garden about 35 years ago. They have put in every plant in the garden, and have also done a considerable amount of heavy landscaping. HE BLOCK was originally part of an orchard, and the Ttop soil had been removed before they arrived, leaving mainly mudstone rock at the surface. They brought in about 10–15 cubic metres of rock and many loads of sand to build up the rockery in the front and other parts of the garden. They use coarse mulches including They choose plants to give flowers at various times of the year, so there gravel, as they find these allow is always something in flower. This must have been very helpful for their better penetration of rain than finer Open Garden Scheme appearance in February this year, which most of us mulches. would find a very challenging time of year. On our visit we saw a number of plants in flower in the north-facing rockery in front of the house. Rob and Val like to try new cultivars, and these included low-growing Kangaroo Paw Anigozanthos ‘Bush Elegance’, Grevillea ‘Winter Delight’, G. ‘Sea Spray’, G. ‘Goldrush’, and G. ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’. The front garden is lovely, but the back garden is a revelation. It is divided into a number of rooms, each with its own personality, linked together by gravel paths and beautifully-crafted archways constructed by Rob. There are several seats in different areas allowing for relaxed contemplation of your surroundings. Rob has constructed these seats himself in highly original ways. The various “rooms” include a paved BBQ area with potted

Rob has cunningly devised various techniques to obscure the fence line, thus making the garden appear a lot larger than it really is.

Above: planter boxes have been constructed up to a third of the height of the fence, and then planted with narrow-growing plants which almost hide the fence altogether, yet take up very little ground space.

Right: a brush fence has half-circle pots attached, and pots and cylinders of various heights are placed on a raised platform. The edge of the raised section has timber attached suitable for outdoor seating. This is part of a barbecue area.

Page 6 interesting and pleasant places to sit and relax plants, an open seating area around the barely-noticeable clothesline, a coffee nook, and an enclosed area with vegetable garden, propagation frame and shed. This latter area was hidden behind enticing 200-year old wooden gates recycled from China. There are many artistic touches throughout the garden, and many recycled items are used. I would have guessed the garden to be at least half an acre and was amazed to find that is was half that size. We were all intrigued by the most elaborate and ingenious outside cat-run that we have ever seen! Thanks very much to Rob and Val for inviting us to share their very wonderful garden, and especially to Val for a beautiful afternoon tea of homemade scones and cake. pathway and bridge over a dry creekbed in the front garden Australian Open Garden Scheme two of our Maroondah members have their gardens open to the public 1 & 2 September 2012 10.00 – 4.30 pm. Entry $7 The Moore Garden, 62 Ennismore Cres, Park Orchards (Mel 35 E12) wide range of plants, terraced steep site, two pools designed by Bev Hanson, bird baths, animal sculpture, Land for Wildlife accreditation. The Kennedy Garden, 13 Fairview Avenue, Wheelers Hill (Mel 71G6) grasses and flowering shrubs, waterway and frog pond designed by Phillip Johnson, Japanese courtyard, sculptures and antique water bowls, Microlaena lawn. flowers on an Exocarpus cupressiformis

Page 7 Diary for 2012 It’s membership renewal time All APS memberships are due for renewal now. Please read the renewal form carefully, because there are some Friday Meetings changes from previous years. 17 August APS membership is made up of two components: an APS Speaker: Ken Walker: Native bees Vic fee, which is passed on to the State organisation, and 21 September a Maroondah Group fee, which helps to fund the monthly newsletter Kunzea. Grand Specimen Table When you fill in the subscription renewal form, you need 19 October to select the appropriate kind of APS Vic subscription that Speaker: Susan Hoebee: Pollination of Grevilleas applies to you, and then choose how you want to receive the 16 November Kunzea newsletter—either in a paper copy by post, or in Speaker: Murray Bouchier: Birds electronic form by email. The Committee has decided to print all our newsletters in full colour from now on. Plant pictures really look dumb Garden Visits in black-and-white! Because of increased costs with colour 19 August printing, the Maroondah fee for a paper copy newsletter Propagation workshop (Karwarra Garden) will increase to $20. However, if you choose to have your 23 September newsletter by email, the Maroondah fee will be only $10. Larkin garden, Lysterfield When you have made these choices, add the APS Vic 21 October subscription amount to the selected Maroondah subscription Cameron garden, Ringwood East amount, and write this figure in the space provided. Please circle your payment method. 18 November If you elect to pay by Electronic Funds Transfer, the Joyce Garden, Templestowe—end of year picnic account details are provided. Please note that it is essential that you include your SURNAME and POSTCODE with the transaction details, otherwise we will not know that you Other events have paid. You can also email your completed membership 11 August – Maranoa Festival (Mel 46 G7)— tours, nature trail, renewal form if you wish, rather than posting it. environmental displays, free BBQ Please attend to your membership renewal immediately, 12 August – Friends of RBG Cranbourne Plant Sale. 10.00 am so that the membership officers can get it all done and dusted. to 4.00 pm. 25/26 August – Quarterly Gathering hosted by APS Grampians Committee Members 8/9 September – Yarra Yarra Plant Expo, Eltham 8/9 September – ANPS EG (Bairnsdale) Spring Spectacular, Michael Cook President 0417 539 740 Mechanics Hall, Omeo Highway, Lucknow. Displays, John Hanson Vice President 9844 3906 plant sales, art, photography and much more. 6 October – APS Mitchell Spring Plant Expo, Kilmore Brenda Moore Secretary 9876 1267 6/7 October – Grampians Flower Show, Pomonal Bev Fox Treasurer 9762 5086 Graeme Nicholls Newsletter Editor 9893 4422 Jan Nicholls Membership Secretary 9893 4422 Tony Moore Webmaster 9876 1267 Trevor Edwards 9727 0935 AUSTRALIAN PLANTS EXPO Geoff Lay 9898 4816 8–9 September Bev Hanson 9844 3906 10am – 4pm Richard Cameron 9870 4114 Eltham Community Reception Centre 801 Main Rd, Eltham (Melway 21 J6) Australian Plants Society Maroondah Inc.

plants, books, art Postal address: P.O. Box 33 Ringwood 3134 huge native flower display Email: [email protected] interesting program of speakers Website: www.vicnet.net.au/~apsmrdah photographic display Newsletter contributions: Contributions for the September 2012 Newsletter Adults $5 Concession $4 should be sent to Graeme Nicholls no later than Monday 3 September 2012 more details at http://home.vicnet.net.au/~apsyarrayarra/index.html Published by APS Maroondah Inc. Registration No. A0013122B Newsletter Print Post approved: PP 328567/00049

Visit the APS Vic website at www.apsvic.org.au