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COASTAL SOILS SPECIES LIST

Start of fl owering time: Spring Summer Autumn Winter All Year

Common Name Botanical Name Height (m) Flower Colour Flower Time Other Info (Up to 15m) Peppermint °Agonis fl exuosa 12-15 white Aug-Dec L ✵ Fraser’s Sheoak Allocasuarina fraseriana 15 brown May-Oct WA Ashby’s ° 1-8 orange Dec-Feb S ✵ WA Candle Banksia 5-8 yellow Sep-Oct L Cut-leaf Banksia 4 gold Jul-Oct S WA Rottnest Island Callitris preissii 4-6 brown Jan-Dec L ✵ Silver Princess °Eucalyptus caesia 12 pink, red May-Sep ✵ WA save water, money water, save Illyarrie Eucalyptus erythrocorys 7 yellow Feb-Apr L ✵ WA Bushy Yate Eucalyptus lehmannii 2-4 green, yellow all year L Mottlecah Eucalyptus macrocarpa 5 red, pink all year ✵ WA Coastal Blackbutt Eucalyptus todtiana 9-16 creamy white Feb Rottnest Tea- Melaleuca lanceolata 5 white Oct-Mar SL Weeping Pittosporum Pittosporum phylliraeoides 8 white-yellow Jun-Oct L WA

Shrubs (3 to 5m) garden & bring to your life back Red-eyed Wattle cyclops 3 yellow Sep-Jan L Summer-scented Wattle Acacia rostellifera 2-5 yellow Aug-Oct L L

Coojong Acacia saligna 5 yellow Aug-Oct pictured left Parrotbush Dryandra sessilis 4-5 yellow May-Nov ° ✵

Showy Banksia 4 cream Jan-Feb Cottonheads Spiny Conostylis aculeata Harsh 3 white Aug-Nov Chenille Honey-myrtle Melaleuca huegelii 3 white Nov-Jan SL✵ Basket Bush Spyridium globulosum 3 white Jun-Nov SL

Shrubs (1 to 3m) Winged Wattle Acacia alata 1.5 pale yellow May-Sep Rigid Wattle 2 yellow Aug-Sep Prickly Moses Acacia pulchella 1.5 yellow Jun-Oct L ° sericeus 0.5-2 red Jun-Apr S ✵ WA One-sided Bottlebrush °Calothamnus quadrifi dus 1-2 red Aug-Dec SL Wembley Wax °Chamelaucium uncinatum 3 pink Aug-Nov L Common Smokebush stoechadis 1.5 blue Jul-Nov ✵ Southern Diplolaena Diplolaena dampieri 2 orange Jul-Sep Cutleaf Guinea-fl ower Hibbertia cuneiformis 1.5 yellow Aug-Dec Coast Honey-myrtle Melaleuca acerosa 1 cream Sep-Dec Tangling Honey-myrtle Melaleuca cardiophylla 1.5 white Jul-Jan Slender Myoporum Myoporum caprarioides 1.5 white all year Boobialla Myoporum insulare 2 white Aug-Nov L Coastal Daisy Bush Olearia axillaris 2 white-cream Nov-Jul SL Shining Fanfl ower nitida 1 blue Aug-Dec Cockie’s Tongue Templetonia retusa 2 red Apr-Sep L ✵ Grass Tree preissii 3 white Nov-Jan L

Shrubs (less than 1m) Dune Moses Acacia lasiocarpa 0.5-1 yellow Jun-Aug SL ✵ Diplopeltis huegelii 0.3-1 pink Jul-Nov Couch Honeypot Dryandra lindleyana low gold May-Sep Tar Bush °Eremophila glabra 0.5-1 orange Mar-Dec SL✵ Seaheath Frankenia paucifl ora 0.3 white all year Hairy Yellow Pea Gompholobium tomentosum 0.3-1 yellow Aug-Dec ° crithmifolia 1 white, pink Jul-Nov SL ✵ “Seaspray” ° 0.5-1 red Jun-Sep SL Spider-net Grevillea ° 0.4-1 red May-Sep L Guichenotia ledifolia 0.7-1 mauve Jul-Oct L Stalked Guinea-fl ower Hibbertia racemosa 0.3 yellow Jul-Nov Waldjumi Jacksonia sericea 0.6 orange & red Dec-Feb Free-fl owering Lechenaultia Lechenaultia fl oribunda 0.5 pale blue Aug-Dec Cushion Bush °Leucophyta brownii 0.5 yellow all year SL Coast Banjine °Pimelea ferruginea 1 pink Sep-Nov S ✵ Berry Saltbush Rhagodia baccata 0.5 red Mar-Jun SL °Thryptomene baeckeacea 1 pink May-Oct SL✵ WA Thick-leaved Fanfl ower Scaevola crassifolia 0.5-0.8 blue Jul-Feb Native Rosemary Westringia dampieri 0.5 white Jun-Jan

Perennial Herbs Feather Speargrass Austrostipa elegantissima 2 silver Aug-Jan Tall Speargrass Austrostipa fl avescens 0.5 silver Sep-Oct L Native Pigface Carpobrotus virescens 0.3 pale purple Jun-Jan L Blue Squill Chamaescilla corymbosa 0.3 blue Aug-Oct Spiny Cottonheads Conostylis aculeata 0.3 yellow Sep-Nov Grey Cottonheads Conostylis candicans 0.5 yellow Aug-Sep S ✵

Blueberry Lily Dianella revoluta 1 purple Sep-Jan North Metro Catchment Group Inc. Satin-leaved Spinifex Spinifex hirsutus 0.3-0.9 green Oct-Jan Long-leaved Spinifex Spinifex longifolius 0.5 green Apr-Jan This brochure was prepared by Melinda Picton-King, Climbers & Groundcovers Coastal Jugfl ower ° 0.3-1.5 dark red, pink Jan-Dec L ✵ WA Small-leaved Clematis Clematis linearifolia climber cream Jul-Sep L

Common Clematis Clematis pubescens climber white Jul-Oct L Strategy Department of the Premier and Cabinet Sponsored by: State Water Native Wisteria °Hardenbergia comptoniana climber purple Jun-Sep SL ✵ Snakebush °Hemiandra pungens low mauve all year SL ✵ Coral Vine Kennedia coccinea climber red-yellow Jul-Nov Augusta Kennedia Kennedia macrophylla climber red Sep-Oct WA Running Postman Kennedia prostrata low red Aug-Nov L Climbing Bluebell Sollya heterophylla climber blue Oct-Feb

° Comes in different forms (ie a might have a groundcover form or different fl ower colours) ✵- Star Performer (hardy or long fl owering) - Butterfl y attracting - Bird attracting L - Limestone tolerant S - Salt tolerant WA - Western Australian not a local plant KEY WHAT ARE LOCAL ? Local plants are species that would naturally occur in your neighbourhood and are therefore adapted to the local climate and soil. GROW LOCAL PLANTS Acacia lasiocarpa Calothamnus quadrifi dus Hakea prostrata Kennedia prostrata

There are a huge range of local WA PLANT NURSERIES PRUNING How much mulch WA plants that can be used to create Apply mulch about 5cm thick, creating a bowl shape around the plant to Different nurseries have varying ranges of WA plants so you might need To keep WA plants looking their best, it is necessary to do some pruning aid water retention. many contemporary garden styles such to shop around. If you really want a particular selection of plants, then it to help keep the plant in shape and promote fl owering. as cottage, formal, Mediterranean and is a good idea to order ahead in about September so the plants can be grown ready for planting in autumn. Some specialist local nurseries are: What to avoid: bushland. Be creative with local plants and When to prune • Avoid layering mulch too thickly as this can impede water infi ltration APACE Nursery 1 Johanna St, NORTH FREMANTLE In general prune after fl owering has fi nished in late spring or early use them in hanging baskets and containers, as and reduce plant survival. Boola Wongin: 619 Armadale Rd (near Nicholson Rd), summer. Avoid pruning in winter or mid summer, as this may cause hedges and as topiary. FORRESTDALE plants to die back extensively. It is better to prune young plants lightly • Avoid mulching too close to the stem of the plant as the constant Carramar Coastal Nursery Lot 5 885 Mandurah Rd and regularly. Older plants can be rejuvenated by more extensive humidity encourages plant diseases and WA plants prefer the SECRET HARBOUR pruning after fl owering. surrounding soil surface to be dry. Garden Design Tips Lullfi tz Nursery: Caporn St (cnr Honey Rd) WANNEROO • Avoid using sawdust and raw wood products (eg wood chips) as Men of the Trees: Cnr Amherst Rd/Stirling Cr, HAZELMERE they can interfere with iron uptake, draw nitrogen out of the soil and • Plan your garden design on graph paper. How to prune Rockingham Golf Club, Elanora Dr, COOLOONGUP cause the soil to become water repellent. Always compost woody • Think about areas of usage (eg eating areas, play areas) and There are two main types of plant fl owering habits each requiring mulches for at least 6 months before use. Muchea Tree Farm: Lot 214 Archibald St, MUCHEA different pruning methods: incorporate these into your garden design. Australian Native • Avoid using mulch from soft leaved plants like many exotic species, • Keep in mind views from the house Nurseries Group: 141 King Rd, OAKFORD 1. Plants that fl ower on the end of each season’s growth – as it decays too fast and releases too many nutrients for WA plants. Zanthorrea Nursery: 155 Watsonia Rd, MAIDA VALE trim off the fl owering stems from behind the seed capsules after the (eg retain good views and use plants to hide eyesores). • Avoid some packaged mulches as they contain high levels of plant has fi nished fl owering. Regular pruning prevents these plants • Plant trees at least 3m from fences and walls so their growth isn’t nitrogen and phosphorus which isn’t suitable for WA plants. from becoming straggly. Eg Callistemon (Bottlebrush), Pimelea. hampered and they don’t become a nuisance. WATERING 2. Plants that fl ower on old wood – remove the oldest wood from the • Make sure you prepare the site and remove all weeds prior to WA plants are adapted to our dry climate and low rainfall - they are used centre of the plant, letting the younger wood remain. FERTILISERS mulching or planting. to a bit of stress and in fact need this to perform their best. Overwatering Eg some species of Melaleuca. As WA plants are adapted to soils that are low in nutrients they • You can use local plants in your whole garden, in a garden bed leads to shorter lived plants with excessive growth and less prolifi c usually don’t require fertiliser. In a garden situation you can apply a or mixed in with exotics. fl owering. An excess of water leads to leaching of nutrients from sandy Tips for pruning little fertiliser to keep plants looking perfect, but be cautious as some soils and encourages diseases that can lead to fatal root rot. • Group plants with similar water and fertiliser requirements species are sensitive to fertilisers, particularly phosphorus. Suffi cient

• Cut off the whole branch cleanly at the join leaving no HEAD together, especially if mixing local plants with exotics. Remember the aim is to encourage plants to grow strong root systems, protruding stump. phosphorus is naturally present in the soil. • Keep in mind the growing requirements of plants (eg don’t plant a which makes them more water effi cient and drought tolerant. To keep • Remove low branches to make weeding easier. sun loving plant in the shade of a larger shrub). your garden looking its best, it may be desirable to give some plants a When to apply supplementary watering over summer. • Use chopped up prunings as mulch. • Be aware that there are different forms of plants you can use in Apply fertiliser when planting by mixing into the soil at the bottom of • Only prune the softer wooded plants (eg large wattles) lightly as they your garden (eg dwarf forms of trees and groundcover forms of the hole. Subsequent fertilising should be done on the surrounding root aren’t as hardy as the woodier plants and tend to die back extensively. many shrubs). When to water (always follow water restrictions) zone only when nutrient defi ciency is apparent and only when plants • Select plants that fl ower in each season to provide colour in your For new plants water: • Eucalypts, Callistemons and Melaleucas respond well to pruning are actively growing in spring. garden all year round. • Once or twice a week in the fi rst few weeks after planting. and can tolerate a hard prune. • Use a diverse range of plants but repeat themes of plants and • Once or twice a week in the summer period for the fi rst 1-2 years • Cut back Kangaroo Paws to the ground after fl owering each year. What fertiliser to use place them in groups of uneven numbers for greater impact. until plants are established (generally from about November to May It helps prevent black ink disease and promotes better growth. (Note: always follow the manufacturer instructions on dosage and application) until the fi rst good rain occurs). • Vary the height layers in your garden to add interest and • Slow release fertilisers for native plants. habitat. (eg tree canopy, shrubs, groundcovers). For established plants water: • Low phosphorus and low nitrogen fertilisers. • Think of your garden like a room in your house and plant in stages. • When there is a heat wave • Fish emulsion or seaweed fertiliser to boost plants immunity Lay the carpet (groundcovers) in fi rst, then place the furniture • When the soil under the surface is dry MULCH to disease. (theme shrubs and trees) and then dress the room with the • When signs of stress are apparent (eg wilting, dull foliage colour, smaller fl owering shrubs and feature plants. leaf shrinkage) Good mulch consists of a mixture of different sized materials such as In general the watering regime for mature plants varies with the soil leaves, twigs and bark, lets water easily penetrate through to the soil What not to fertilise • Continually review your design and keep complementing your and prevents evaporation. The mulch materials shouldn’t absorb too type, origin of the plant, season and natural rainfall. • Some plants are highly sensitive to fertilisers, particularly garden with new plants. Think of your garden as progressive and much water, otherwise they make less available to the plants. ever changing to be built upon over time. fertilisers that contain phosphorus. What irrigation to use Eg: , , Dryandras, The best mulch WA plants like the soil surface to remain dry and many are sensitive to ( family). PLANT SELECTION & PLANTING OUT overhead watering (eg sprinklers, misters). Thus the best irrigation to • Groundcovers and natural leaf litter formed by the plants in • Don’t overfertilise Everlastings as they get too tall use is adjustable dripper/trickle systems or subsurface irrigation. your garden. and weak and lie down when fl owering. • Buy plants local to your area or suited to your soil type (see list). • Street tree loppings – may contain some weeds but they are easily • Buy small plants in bigger pots as they aren’t root bound and seen and removed. better establish in the garden. You can buy some larger feature Watering tips • Inert materials (eg gravel, crushed brick) are particularly good in plants for a more instant effect. • Watering in the morning is preferable as moisture sitting on plant windy areas as they don’t blow around. • Always read the labels to check the size of the plant when leaves and stems overnight can cause plant diseases. • Avoid watering only the soil surface layer as this encourages mature to be sure that you are getting the desired plant form. When to mulch • Coastal plants will grow inland, but inland plants don’t grow well shallow roots making plants more susceptible to drying out and on the coast. blowing over. Longer deeper watering encourages the growth Organic mulches need renewing seasonally as they break down over REFERENCES of deeper, more stable roots. time, but are best applied at the start of warmer weather in spring and • Don’t choose plants that are environmental weeds. For more information refer to • If water repellence occurs, apply a wetting agent. early summer. A New Image for WA Plants - George Lullfi tz, • Plant in late April or May after the fi rst good autumn rains, as • Use a dripper with a high fl ow rate for water demanding plants Grow With Us - Wildfl ower Society of WA, Growing Locals - Robert Powell. plants have more time to establish before summer. eg Boronia, Scaevola.