Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Chocolate Lily Arthropodium strictum
FAST FACTS Chocolate Lily (Arthropodium strictum ) is good ½ bucket of water as soon as you Groundcover an Australian native groundcover from the plant it and it should be fine after that. Family: Liliacaea Ballarat area. It’s a small, narrow-leaved Care : Chocolate Lily needs little care. If you Lily plant up to 30 cm high. It could easily be want, cut off the old flower stem down low Size: 30cm H mistaken for a grass, however the leaves near the base after it has dried. You may Position: Lightly shaded are a little softer and brighter in colour. still find some small black seeds in the Soil: Well drained Location : It likes a lightly shaded position papery cups towards the end of the stem – Flowers: Spring / Summer and looks best when several plants are these could be shaken out onto the soil Fruits: Papery capsules clumped together about 30cm apart. where they may grow into new plants. Care: Low maintenance Flowers : The flowers are very delicate and Seed : Chocolate Lily is a very slow growing pretty with a lovely chocolaty smell. In late plant and won’t tend to spread in your spring or early summer, it will send up a tall garden bed. To grow more, collect the flower stem which will have dark purple seed and grow it in small pots. Transplant flowers opening one or two at a time over the new seedlings when they are about the next couple of months. 10cm high.
Planting : Even though it looks delicate, it is Tip : The leaves tend to die back over quite tough. It will grow well in your garden winter, totally disappearing some years. if planted in a hole not much larger than the The bulb will still be alive under the soil, so pot within a few days of purchase. Give it a mark its location with a small stake.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Photograph (above): Grant Palmer Photograph: Roger Thomas Bulbine Lily Bulbine bulbosa
FAST FACTS An Australian native plant from the Ballarat Seeds : If left alone, by the end of summer Groundcover area, Bulbine Lily (Bulbine bulbosa ) is a the flowers will have produced lots of small Family: Liliacaea small plant with a few long, narrow, black seeds. You can collect some of these Lily rounded, hollow leaves about 30cm tall. to grow into new plants or let them fall Size: 30cm H around the base where some will grow into Location : Plant it in shade in a moist spot. Position: Shady new plants. Bulbine Lily will readily spread As it stays as a small tuft, Bulbine Lily looks Soil: Moist and can be easily transplanted. best when planted in clumps of 5-10 plants Flowers: Spring about 30cm apart. Tip : After the seeds have fallen, Bulbine Lily Fruits: Papery capsules will tend to die back a bit over winter. The Care: Low maintenance Flowers : In spring, Bulbine Lily grows a tall underground bulb, however, will send up stem covered in large bright yellow flowers. new leaves and flowers again the next year. Planting : Like many Ballarat bush plants, So it may be a good idea to put a small Bulbine Lily is quite tough and will grow stake into the ground so that you well in your garden if planted in a hole not remember where it is. much larger than the pot within a few days of purchase. Give it a good ½ bucket of water as soon as you plant it and it should be fine after that.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Photograph (above): Tony Rodd Leek Lily Bulbine semibarbata
FAST FACTS An Australian native groundcover, Leek Lily days of purchase. Give it a good ½ bucket Groundcover (Bulbine semibarbata ) is a small plant with of water as soon as you plant it and it Family: Liliacaea a few long, narrow, rounded, hollow leaves should be fine after that. Lily about 20cm tall. Although there are a few Seed : If left alone, the flowers will have Size: 20cm H scattered occurrences of Leek Lily around produced lots of small black seeds by the Position: Shady Ballarat, this plant is more widespread to end of summer. These can be collected Soil: Moist the north and west of Victoria. and potted to grow into new plants or they Flowers: Spring Location : Leek Lily likes to be planted in a can be left to fall where some may grow Fruits: Papery capsules bit of shade in a moist spot. It stays as a into new plants. Care: Low maintenance small tuft, so would look best if grown in a Tip : Leek Lily is an annual. After the seeds patch of 5-10 plants in your garden bed have fallen, it will die. Next year, however, amongst other small plants. Plant about some of the seeds will grow into new 20cm apart. plants near the original plant. So it may be Flowers : In spring, it grows a flower stem a good idea to put a small stake into the covered in small bright yellow flowers. ground to remind you of the location.
Planting : Leek Lily is quite tough and will grow well in your garden if planted in a hole not much larger than the pot within a few
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Photograph: Roger Thomas Milky Beauty-heads Calocephalus lacteus
FAST FACTS A spreading groundcover approximately Planting : Milky Beauty-heads are quite Groundcover 20 cm high and up to 70 cm wide, Milky tough and will grow really well in the garden Family: Asteraceae Beauty-heads (Calocephalus lacteus ) is an if planted in a hole not much larger than the Daisy Australian native from the Ballarat area. pot within a few days of purchase. Size: 20cm H x 20cm W Location : Milky Beauty-heads like a sunny Give it a good ½ bucket of water as soon Position: Sunny location – perhaps in a narrow bed beside as you plant it and it should be fine after Soil: Well drained the driveway, in a rockery or softening the that. Once settled in, it needs very little Flowers: Spring – Autumn edge of paving. water other than natural rainfall. Fruits: Inconspicuous Care: Prune Leaves : The small soft silver-grey leaves Care : When you think the flowers look too 1 2 make a wonderful contrast with other old and tired, just trim the top ⁄2 to ⁄3 off the plants and add a bright touch to the plant with garden shears. The plant will garden all year round. thicken up and spring back into shape in no time, and do a good job of suppressing Flowers : Although inconspicuous, the weeds in your garden bed. many flowers occur in clusters at the end of each stem. They are the same colour as Seed : When pruning, you might like to the leaves but add a nice pompom texture leave some of the flower stems uncut until to the plant for many months over spring, they form papery pale grey seeds. Either let summer and into autumn. The flowers and them blow away in the breeze or collect foliage stay looking good for many months. some to grow into new plants.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Common Everlasting Chrysocephalum apiculatum
FAST FACTS A spreading groundcover approximately 20 Planting : Common Everlasting are quite Groundcover cm high and up to 50 cm wide, Common tough and will grow really well in the garden Family: Asteraceae Everlasting (Chrysocephalum apiculatum ) if planted in a hole not much larger than the Daisy is an Australian native plant from the pot within a few days of purchase. Size: 20cm H x 50cm W Ballarat area. Give it a good ½ bucket of water as soon Position: Full sun Location : Common Everlasting likes full as you plant it and it should be fine after Soil: Dry sun, doing well in drier parts of the garden. that. Once settled in, it needs very little Flowers: Summer Good places to plant Common Everlasting water other than natural rainfall. Fruits: Inconspicuous include narrow beds beside a driveway, in a Care: Prune Care : When you think the flowers look too rockery or softening the edge of paving. 1 2 old and tired, just trim the top ⁄2 to ⁄3 off the Leaves : Its soft silvery leaves look plant with garden shears. The plant will wonderful all year round. thicken up and spring back into shape in no time. Flowers : Common Everlasting produces clusters of yellow, papery daisies that are a Seed : When pruning, you might like to highlight right through summer. The flowers leave some of the flower stems uncut until stay looking good for many months and will they form papery pale yellow seeds. Either add lots of bright colour to a dry patch of let them blow away in the breeze or collect your garden. some to grow into new plants.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Clustered Everlasting Chrysocephalum semipapposum
FAST FACTS An Australian native from the Ballarat area, planted in a hole not much larger than the Groundcover Clustered Everlasting (Chrysocephalum pot within a few days of purchase. Give it a Family: Asteraceae semipapposum ) is a sprawling plant up to good ½ bucket of water as soon as you Daisy 40 cm high and 60 cm wide. plant it and it should be fine after that. Size: 40cm H x 60cm W Location : Clustered Everlasting likes full Care : When the Clustered Everlasting Position: Full sun sun and displays its golden yellow flowers starts to look a bit straggly after flowering, Soil: Dry over many months. It looks good in a bed give it a really big prune right back to within Flowers: Spring – Autumn of mixed indigenous and garden plants. about 20 cm of the base. It will form a nice Fruits: Inconspicuous small silvery clump of leaves until the flower Care: Prune Try Clustered Everlasting where most other stems grow again next year. plants will struggle, as apart from a yearly prune, it doesn’t need much care at all. It is Seed : When you prune you might like to also good for covering the ground and leave some of the flower stems uncut until keeping weeds out. they form papery gray seeds. These can be collected or let blow away in the breeze. Flowers : The flowers are fairly small, bright yellow daisies clustered at the ends of long, Alternatively, if you lay some of the cut slightly floppy, grey stems. They look quite stems in a shallow trough and cover them stunning against the silvery-grey leaves. with soil, leaving about 10cm at both ends exposed, you may find that some of the Planting : Clustered Everlasting are quite stems will grow into new plants. tough and will grow well in your garden if
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Photographs (above, right): Roger Thomas Button Everlasting Coronidium (ex Helichrysum) scorpioides
FAST FACTS An Australian native from the Ballarat Planting : It is quite a tough plant and will Groundcover area, Button Everlasting (Coronidium – ex grow well in your garden if planted in a hole Family: Asteraceae Helichrysu m–scorpioides ) is a low-growing not much larger than the pot within a few Daisy plant up to 30 cm high and 30 cm wide. days of purchase. Give it a good ½ bucket Size: 30cm H x 30cm W of water as soon as you plant it and it Location : Though it prefers full sun, Button Position: Sunny should be fine after that. Everlasting can be planted anywhere in Soil: Well drained your garden that you have a spot. Care : When it starts to look a bit straggly Flowers: Late Spring after flowering, give it a prune – taking off Fruits: Inconspicuous Flowers : The flowers are lovely, soft, about two thirds of each stem. Within a few Care: Prune papery daises – dark yellow in the middle weeks the leaves will grow back to form a and paler yellow around the edges. The nice, soft, grey-green mound of leaves until size of large buttons, they will add a cheery the flower stems grow again next year. glow to a corner of your garden bed from late Spring through Summer . Seed : When you prune, you might like to leave some of the flower stems uncut until Attracts : Like many of the native daisies, they form papery gray seeds. Either let the Button Everlasting will attract one of our seeds blow away in the breeze or collect largest and most colourful butterflies – the some to grow new plants. Australian Painted Lady – to your garden.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Black-anther Flax-lily Dianella admixta (ex revoluta)
FAST FACTS Black-anther Flax-lily (Dianella admixta – Attracts : Like many low-growing, clumping Groundcover ex revoluta ) is an Australian native plant plants, Flax-lily will attract some of the very Family: Liliacaea from the Ballarat area. It is an open small butterflies, such as Grass Skippers, Lily clumping plant that grows up to 75cm high that like to fly close to the ground. Size: 40cm H x 70 cm W and 70 cm wide. Planting : It is quite a tough plant and will Position: Sunny Location : Flax-lily likes a fairly sunny grow well in your garden if planted in a hole Soil: Well drained position and looks good as a feature in a not much larger than the pot within a few Flowers: Spring garden bed with larger plants. days of purchase. Give it a good ½ bucket Fruits: Blue-purple berries of water as soon as you plant it and it Care: Low maintenance It is a slow growing plant and easy to dig should be fine after that. up, so it won’t take over your garden beds. Care : Flax-lily doesn’t need pruning Leaves : The leaves are an attractive blue- however the clump can get a bit broad and green and stand quite stiffly erect. 1 open. To tidy it up, just cut it to about ⁄3 Flowers : In spring Flax-lily produces tall height, divide the clump into smaller pieces brown stems which host a succession of and replant them elsewhere. small dark purple and bright yellow flowers. These are followed by bright blue-purple berries over summer.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Knobby Club-sedge Ficinia nodosa
FAST FACTS Knobby Club-sedge (Ficinia nodosa ), a Give it a good ½ bucket of water as soon Groundcover clumping plant growing up to 70 cm high as you plant it and it should be fine after Family: Cyperaceae and 70 cm wide, is an Australian native that. Sedge plant from the Ballarat area. It is sometimes Care : Knobby Club-sedge rarely needs Size: 70cm H x 70 cm W also known as Knobby Club-rush. pruning, however if some of the older Position: Full sun to shade Location : Knobby Club-sedge can be leaves dry off and go brown, trim them off Soil: Moist planted in full sun or shade, preferably in right down at ground level to keep the Flowers: Inconspicuous moist soil, and looks good as a feature in a plant looking handsome. Fruits: Brown “clubs” garden bed amongst other plants, or near Care: Low maintenance Propagation : Large clumps can be water (maybe a pond or fountain) amongst divided into smaller pieces and replanted a pebble mulch. elsewhere in the garden. Flowers : The flowers are inconspicuous Alternatively, collect some of the seed by but it has attractive brown seed heads for removing the brown clubs and breaking most of the year. them apart with your fingers. Distribute Planting : It is quite a tough plant and will the seed evenly on moist soil and cover grow well in your garden if planted in a hole with a fine dusting of potting mix. not much larger than the pot within a few days of purchase.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Common Lagenophora Lagenophora stipitata
FAST FACTS Also known as Blue Bottle-daisy , Common Planting : Though Blue Bottle-daisy might Groundcover Lagenophora (Lagenophora stipitata ) is an look delicate, it is actually quite tough and Family: Asteraceae Australian native plant from the Ballarat will grow well in your garden if planted in a Daisy area. It is a tiny plant no more than 15cm hole not much larger than the pot within a Size: 15cm H high that will spread well and form a great few days of purchase. Give it a good ½ Position: Partly shaded groundcover over bare earth or in amongst bucket of water as soon as you plant it and Soil: Moist mulch. it should be fine after that. Flowers: Spring / Summer Location : It likes a partly shaded position Care : It doesn’t need any pruning to keep Fruits: Inconspicuous in moist soil. it looking good, however Blue Bottle-daisy Care: Low maintenance may need a little extra watering over dry Leaves : Blue Bottle-daisy leaves form neat summer months to stay looking its best. little bunches (or rosettes) that look good all year round. Propagation : After a couple of years you can dig up a small clump to replant Flowers : In late spring and summer the somewhere else in your garden. plant is covered in small pale purple daisies about the size of a 5c piece. Alternatively, collect the sticky black seed from the old flower heads in summer, spread on moist potting mix and cover lightly.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Lomandra or Mat-rush Lomandra longifolia
FAST FACTS An Australian native plant from the Ballarat Planting : It is quite tough and will grow Groundcover area, Lomandra or Mat-rush (Lomandra well in your garden if planted in a hole not Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae longifolia ) is a clumping plant that grows up much larger than the pot within a few days Grass Tree to 1 m high and 70 cm wide. of purchase. Give it a good ½ bucket of Size: 1m H x 70cm W water as soon as you plant it and it should Location : Lomandra likes part shade and Position: Partly shaded be fine after that. will look good along the edge of a garden Soil: Well drained bed. It will also look good as a feature in a Care : Lomandra doesn’t need pruning but Flowers: Inconspicuous garden bed – on its own or in a clump. if you do want to tidy it up (sometimes the Fruits: Spikey capsules leaves may get a bit frayed and torn), just Leaves : It is mostly planted for its Care: Low maintenance 1 cut it back to about ⁄3 of its height. attractive, strappy leaves which arise from a central base . The leaves are thick and Attracts : Lomandra is a food source for leathery; the smooth edges can be quite the larvae of several species of local sharp. butterfly, including the rare Yellow Ochre. It is extremely rare for the larvae to mortally Flowers : The flowers are fairly small and damage the plant. inconspicuous. They form on a flower stalk that emerges from the base of the leaves in late spring.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Photograph (above): John Gregurke Austral Stork’s-bill Pelargonium australe
FAST FACTS An Australian native groundcover from Once it’s settled in, Austral Stork’s-bill Groundcover the Ballarat area, Austral Stork’s-bill doesn’t like much water, so plant it where Family: Geraniaceae (Pelargonium australe ) is a quick-growing the roots won’t stay wet for too long. Geranium plant that will fill up a space about 1m Care : During the hot summer months and Size: 50cm H x 1m W wide and 50cm high over summer. after flowering, Austral Stork’s-bill will start Position: Sunny Leaves : Austral Stork’s-bill has heart to look a bit straggly, so give it a prune by Soil: Well drained shaped leaves that are softly hairy and a cutting off most of the older leaves and Flowers: Summer lovely bright green tinged with red. flower stems. You’ll then notice that it has a Fruits: Narrow capsules lot of small fresh young leaves growing Care: Prune after flowering Flowers : It flowers in summer, with lots of from its base. These will grow into a lovely 5-petalled white or pale pink flowers with small rounded mound quite quickly. dark veins radiating from the centre. Butterflies : Some of our native butterflies Planting : Austral Stork’s-bill is quite tough enjoy feeding on these flowers, so consider and will grow really well in your garden if leaving some flowers when pruning. you plant it within a few days of purchase.
It likes a sunny position with good drainage. Plant it in a hole not much larger than the potting tube and give it a good ½ bucket of water as soon as you plant it.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Poa lab or Common Tussock Grass Poa labillardieri
FAST FACTS An Australian native plant from the Ballarat Give it a good ½ bucket of water as soon Grass area, Poa lab or Common Tussock Grass as you plant it and it should be fine after Family: Poaceae (Poa labillardieri ) is a clumping grass that that. Grass grows up to 1m high and 70cm wide. Care : Prune in late summer or autumn –
Size: 1m H x 70cm W 2 Location : Tussock Grass can be planted in take off about ⁄3 of the height of the plant. Position: Full sun to shade full sun or shade and several will look good It will bounce back with lovely fresh growth Soil: Well drained along the edge of a garden bed. It will also within a few weeks. Flowers: Spring – Summer look good as a feature in a garden bed Fruits: Grass seeds Attracts : Tussock Grass is a food source amongst other plants. Care: Prune for the larvae of several species of local Leaves : Fine, long and fairly tough. butterfly, including Skippers, Xenicas and Browns. It is extremely rare for the larvae to Flowers : Tussock Grass flowers in spring mortally damage the plant. and summer, though the flowers are fairly inconspicuous.
Planting : It is quite tough and will grow well in your garden if planted in a hole not much larger than the pot within a few days of purchase.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Slender Speedwell Veronica gracilis
FAST FACTS An Australian native plant from the Ballarat Care : When it has finished flowering, give it Groundcover area, Slender Speedwell (Veronica gracilis ) a prune – just grab a handful of foliage and Family: Scrophulariaceae is a small, sprawling, narrow-leaved plant snip it all back to about a third of its original Figwort up to 25 cm high and 25 cm wide. length. You can be quite adventurous with Size: 25cm H x 25cm W this and the plant will stay nice and Location : Slender Speedwell likes a lightly Position: Lightly shaded compact and showy. shaded position, possibly in a well-watered Soil: Moist rockery or in a garden bed amongst other Propagation : Slender Speedwell is a slow Flowers: Spring larger plants. growing plant and won’t tend to spread. If Fruits: Inconspicuous you want to grow more, the best thing to Care: Prune after flowering Flowers : The flowers are only small – do is let the stems grow. If left unpruned for about 1cm across – but they are a lovely a year or two, it will form small roots along open cup of pale mauve highlighted by the stems where they are in contact with dark veins fading towards a pale centre. the ground. These can be separated from Planting : It will grow well in your garden if the parent and plant elsewhere. planted in a hole not much larger than the When you prune, bury the bunches of cut pot within a few days of purchase. Give it a stems in the ground, leaving only a very good ½ bucket of water as soon as you small number of leaves uncovered. If you plant it and it should be fine after that. water them well for several weeks most will eventually grow into new plants.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Photographs: (bottom left) M. Parkes © Australian National Botanic Gardens and (above) © M. Fagg, Australian National Botanic Gardens
Native Violet or Ivy-leaved Violet Viola hederacea
FAST FACTS An Australian native plant from the Ballarat Planting : Native Violet is quite tough and Groundcover area, Native Violet or Ivy-leaved Violet will grow well in your garden if planted in a Family: Violaceae (Viola hederacea ) is a very pretty, delicate hole not much larger than the pot within a Violet looking, creeping groundcover up to 5 cm few days of purchase. Size: 5cm H x 40cm W high and 40 cm wide. Give it a good ½ bucket of water as soon Position: Shade Location : It likes some shade and would as you plant it and it should be fine after Soil: Moist do especially well under large trees. If you that. Flowers: Summer have several plants, they’ll look good in the Fruits: Inconspicuous Care : Native Violet requires little attention spaces between pavers but it’s also lovely Care: Low maintenance and doesn’t need pruning. in a garden bed amongst other plants or in a hanging basket. Propagation : If you want to grow more, you can dig up some mature Native Violet Leaves and Flowers : Native Violet after a year or two (a clump about the produces lots of small purple and white same size as when you purchased it) and flowers scattered among the small fan- plant the clumps in other parts of your shaped leaves in summer. garden.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia. Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens
Photograph: © M. Fagg, Australian National Botanic Gardens Photograph: Roger Thomas Sticky Everlasting Xerochrysum viscosum
FAST FACTS An Australian native plant from the Ballarat Planting : Sticky Everlasting is quite tough Groundcover area, Sticky Everlasting (Xerochrysum and will grow well in your garden if planted Family: Asteraceae viscosum ) is a small narrow-leaved plant up in a hole not much larger than the pot Daisy to 50 cm high and 40 cm wide. It is also within a few days of purchase. Size: 50cm H x 40cm W sometimes known as Shiny Everlasting. Give it a good ½ bucket of water as soon Position: Sunny Location : Sticky Everlasting likes a sunny as you plant it and it should be fine after Soil: Well drained position and will tolerate dry conditions. that. Once settled in, it actually doesn’t like Flowers: Spring – Autumn too much water so plant it somewhere Fruits: Inconspicuous Leaves : The leaves are quite narrow so it where most plants won’t survive. Care: Prune is fairly inconspicuous when not in flower. They have a slightly sticky feel. Care : When it starts to look a bit straggly after flowering, give it a prune, taking off Flowers : The flowers are bright gold, about two thirds of the main and side glossy, crispy daises about the size of large stems. buttons. The flowers stay on for many months so it will add colour to a dry corner Seed : When you prune, you might like to of your garden for most of the year. leave some of the flower stems uncut until they form papery gray seeds. Either let Attracts : Like many of the native daisies, them blow away in the breeze or collect Sticky Everlasting will attract one of our some to grow into new plants. largest and most colourful butterflies – the Australian Painted Lady – to your garden.
For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia.