AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY (AUSTRALIA) 1
WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012
ISSN 1838-9082 NEWSLETTER
Leader: Maria Hitchcock Welcome to our new members 16 Hitchcock Lane Lindy Harris Armidale NSW 2350 In this issue. . . Malcolm & Mirella McKinnon Ph. 02 6775 1139 Phil & Catriona Tricke [email protected] Maria writes: p. 2
Ac notus forsythii p. 3
Growing Telopea speciosissima p. 4 - a few hints
Wild Brumby Waratahs p. 5/6
Plant Breeders Rights p. 6
Links...links...links p. 7
Karwarra Gardens p. 8
Checklist of Telopea varie es p. 9/10
Checklist of Flannel Flower varie es p. 10
The pink Flannel Flower Ac notus forsythii photographed in the wild Spring is just near Kanangra Falls by David Noble in March 2010 around Photo by permission David Noble the corner!
The Waratah and Flannel Flower Study Group is afliated with the Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) - ANPSA Newsletters are sent out in May and November (electronic only). Membership is restricted to individuals (including partners) and not groups. Membership $5.00 per year to be paid by cheque or Direct Debit upon receipt of invoice. There is no deadline for newsletter contributions - send them anytime, sooner rather than later.
AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY (AUSTRALIA) 2
WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012 He is an extraordinary bushwalker/canyoner who Maria writes: loves to document almost everything. He had an We started the year with a lot of rain then it seems amazing series of pictures and notes about the pink the tap turned off and we are back to ‘normal’ Flannel Flower which some people thought might weather patterns for this area - that means a fairly have been extinct. I am hoping that a recovery dry autumn and winter but I’ve read somewhere program might be set up to get this plant into that we are also in for a dry spring. I don’t mind cultivation. the dry autumn as it allows plants to prepare for At home I have been growing (in a pot) the lovely the cold months ahead by slowing down growth Actinotus ‘Starbright’ purchased from Mt Tomah and building up some anthocyanin in the leaves last Spring. It has flowered continuously since that which turns them a reddish colour. In February I time and I have it outside in a sheltered part of the was able to purchase the complete Wild Brumby garden. We have had some severe frosts lately but Range of Waratahs from Yarralumla Nursery (5 the flowers have not been affected. varieties) and I have several in the garden doing alright. I suspect they will prove to be quite hardy Over the next few months I shall be somewhat and adaptable. I’d love to hear from anyone distracted with my younger daughter’s wedding in growing them in other areas. A chance look Canada in early September and then the birth of through a newsletter from another NSW-APS local my second grandchild in Perth in late September. It group led me to David Noble’s wonderful blog. looks like I might miss the Waratah flowering. In November I am going to the Fred Rogers Seminar http://www.david-noble.net/blog/?p=550 in Melbourne and hope to snap the Waratahs at http://www.david-noble.net/Wildflowers/index.html Cranbourne. You will notice that the membership fee has been dropped to $5.00 as being electronic David kindly allowed me to use his photos. only, we have very few costs. That means that most of you are still financial.
Do you also have Do you all have a copy of ‘The Waratah’ 2nd Ed. ‘Australian Plants’ Paul Nixon Kangaroo Press 1997 Vol 25 No 201 Dec. 2009 What other references would be useful? This is an excellent reference Please let me know and I wi include on waratahs. If you would like a copy please email them in the next newsletter me as I now have a number to give away free to Please send any interesting articles that you members. I asked for them to be sent to me in lieu would like to share with the other members. of the NSW Study Groups contribution. Your own experiences are always of great interest to others. Please don’t hesitate to email me at any time.
AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY (AUSTRALIA) 3
WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012
Ac notus forsythii (Pink Flannel Flower) Two other species of flannel flowers are quite Text and images by David Noble common. Ac notus helianthi (Flannel Flower) and Ac- Posted on October 5, 2011 notus minor (Lesser Flannel Flower).
On the long weekend walk I was talking to some of the other walkers about the spectacular site at Kanangra Walls during March last year (2010) of a mul tude of pink flannel flowers.
Ac notus helianthi minor
In answer to his post, David received a reply from Col Gibson who said that Benson’s Ecology (“Cunningha- Ac notus forsythii mia”) says “Rare, Newnes Plateau northern limit – local- The pink flannel flower (Ac notus forsythii) it seems only ised and poorly known”. Keep an eye out also for Ac no- flowers a er two events – fire and then a lot of rain. tus gibbonsii (flowers are pink bu ons) recorded on the Before March 2010 there had been a bushfire on part of Newnes Plateau in 1992. the Kanangra Plateau (I think it was due to a hazard re- duc on burn). A er that was a wet period and the result Now it seems that chance sigh ngs of this ‘ex nct’ was quite amazing. Under the burnt bankias and isopo- species happen from me to me. Merle Thompson gons was a profusion of these beau ful flowers. It seems reported in the Blue Mountains Group newsle er (April a mass blooming like this is a rare event. I wonder if they 2004) that several members had been fortunate to had been recorded at Kanangra Walls – on the Plateau witness a rare blooming at Hargreaves Lookout in Black- before? Perhaps this was the first me the Plateau had heath. Jill Dark recorded it as having bloomed in past been burnt for a long while? And how long had the years at Narrow Neck and on the Kings Tableland in the seeds been dormant and s ll viable? Interes ng ques- Upper Blue Mountains. There is also a record south of ons! Perhaps seeds are also at the nearby Ti-Willa Sydney near Nerriga. Plateau? According to The Flora of New South Wales Ac notus forsythii "grows in damp areas in sclerophyll forest and heath on skeletal soils over sandstone, south from New- nes Plateau; usually seen only following fires." It is re- ported to occur on the South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands and Victoria. A search by Merle on the internet revealed it listed as a high risk/vulnerable plant in the alpine area of Victoria. Merle stated that flowers of A. forsythii were smaller than A. helianthi but larger than A. minor.
Another record has been posted on the net of a photo taken at Blue Labyrinth on a track leading off Greens Rd near Warrimoo in the Blue Mountains 33° 43' 40.39" S Ac notus helianthi Blue Mountains 150° 35' 26.09" E h p://www.panoramio.com/photo/1605670
AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY (AUSTRALIA) 4
WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012
Growing Telopea speciosissima Ode to a Waratah - a few hints Ian Shackle (Shax) Ian Shackle Australian Plants Online I’ll never grow a Waratah; First published in ‘Blandfordia’, Newsle er of the North God knows I’ve tried and failed. Shore Group of the Australian Plants Society, April 2004. Number 30’s bit the dust (It wasn’t fungus, wasn’t rust - I have been unable to grow a Waratah (Telopea spe- Perhaps it was my looks of lust). ciosissima) both in the ground and in pots, let alone But to the shed it’s nailed. get one to flower. However, I have not given up hope and this has led me to read a great book en tled 'The Waratah' (Paul Nixon, Kangaroo Press, 1997). It is full One full week it sat and sulked, of valuable informa on on how to successfully grow No matter what I did. Waratahs and get them to flower. The following are Expensive compost, pricey pot, a few facts from the book (in no par cular order) I I really gave that plant the lot. found interes ng: The best soil for them is deep, free It daily drooped its once proud head, draining, with a north, north-east or north-west as- Until this morning - it was dead. pect to ensure maximum sun. • They usually grow 1 - 3 metres high and if in deep fer le soil free of compe on, they will From the Australian Native Plants grow to 5 metres. Discussion Group • They normally flower at the spring equinox. • Once flowering has started to open, the • In the wild, they flower best a er bush fires bushes should be well watered, as stress at as they are free from root compe on for a this me will cause added bract burn. few years at least. Lack of root compe on • They are frost hardy to -12 degrees C. in the home garden is recommended. • The primary cul va on requirement is simi- • Flower buds develop early in the year, so it is lar to the requirements of citrus namely a in bud for 7 to 8 months. well-drained site. • Vase life of flowers is 10 to 14 days. To get • When plan ng one sure method of achieving an extra week pour a cup of water over the posi ve drainage is to place the plant on the flower each day. ground or above ground surface - do not dig • You can expect 500 flowers to a plant in ideal a hole but mound around the plant to form a condi ons, although 250 blooms is a more bed. realis c total. • They respond to very high levels of nutri on • Fresh seed germinates readily. The seed de- - especially Blood and Bone and farm ma- teriorates fairly rapidly unless stored at low nures (not fresh poultry manure). temperature, low humidity and not in a plas- • The ideal NPK ra o for fer lisers is: N of 15- c bag. 20%, P of 2-5% and K of 5-10%. • Apply fer liser to correspond with leaf Telopea speciosissima appears to be the growth - Spring and Autumn. most touchy of all the Waratah varie es at • Pests - too many to list, but the main pest is least for the home gardener. It would be the borer that a acks the ripening bud. Look great to get some kind of easy to grow guide out for sawdust at the base of the bud for which works!!! and which could be pub- sign of ac vity. Use carbaryl or Endosulphon lished and distributed. If anyone can add to (although I am sure Confidor will work - JH). these hints I’d be very grateful. • Pruning juvenile Waratahs is desirable to make the plant divide and encourage basal growth.
AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY (AUSTRALIA) 5
WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012 Wild Brumby Waratahs
In the last newsle er I listed the five Waratah varie es in Brian Fitzpatrick’s Wild Brumby Range. I have now scanned all the labels. Generic informa on on all labels reads: Grow in a well-drained, acidic soil and use a natural mulch for moisture reten on. Do not fer lise young Waratahs at plan ng me, but allow them to estab- lish prior to feeding with a slow release na ve plant food. If growing in full sun, avoid a direct westerly aspect. North or cooler sheltered sites are pre- ferred. In containers water daily, feed with a slow release fer liser and shade over summer. Pick all flowers to maintain shape and encourage a bushy habit. All are listed as: Moderate frost - Tolerates dryness once established Telopea speciosissima x mongaensis ‘Mallee Boy’
H: 3-4m W: 1.5-2.5m ‘Mallee Boy’ is a new naturally bushy variety with mul -branching stems from the base. Covered in brilliant pink flowers in the spring, it will flower early, within a year or two of establishing.
Telopea speciosissima x truncata ‘Digger’
H: 3-4m W: 1-2m ‘Digger’ is a new, brilliant salmon-pink Waratah, a vigorous low-maintenance variety, tall and slender in habit.
Telopea speciosissima x truncata ‘Sugar Plum’
H: 2.5m W: 2.5m ‘Sugar Plum’ has dark green leaves and brilliant red flowers. It is an a rac ve low-maintenance feature plant, prolific flowering, naturally bushy and ideal as a hedge.
AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY (AUSTRALIA) 6
WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012
Plant Breeders Rights
According to their website, these are the cur- rent PBR lis ngs for Waratahs.
Granted: Bridal Gown Champagne Golden Globe Gembrook T90-1-0-1
Terminated: Cardinal Songlines Dreaming Fire and Brimstone Sunflare Telopea speciosissima x truncata ‘Snow Maiden’ Sunburst Shade of Pale H: 3-4m W: 1.5m ‘Snow Maiden’ is a lovely new petite white Withdrawn: In the Pink Waratah with a slender upright habit and an Fire ‘n Ice abundance of flowers in spring. Fitzmal (Mallee Boy) Fitzsno (Snow Maiden) Fitzdig (Digger) Fitzgeo (Georgie Girl) Fitzegi (Sugar Plum?)
I am assuming the Brian Fitzpatrick applica ons are for the varie es in brackets. Ac notus helianthi
Granted: White Romance (Lana Mitchell) Starbright (RBG Trust)
Withdrawn R187 (RBG Trust) Federa on Star (RBG Trust) Summer Cloud (Yellow Rock)
Telopea speciosissima x truncata ‘Georgie Girl’
H: 2m W: 2m ‘Georgie Girl’ is a new cream Waratah. It is a com- pact and moderately vigorous variety, with showy spring blossom, a rac ve in bud and beau ful when open.
AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY (AUSTRALIA) 7
WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012
Links....Links....Links.... rust host material from other states where the disease is present, but this is under Wildflowers Australia review. h p://www.wildflowersaustralia.com.au WildFlowers Australia (WFA) was formed in March Plant Breeders Rights 2007. Their aim is to help growers, flower whole- h p://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/ salers, exporters and importers, buyers such as florists, and allied industry members such as plant To check on PBR and Waratahs growers, by supplying informa on on services and h p://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/pbr_db/search_a to create a forum for mee ngs, conferences and c on.cfm?sort=txtCommonName discussion about the problems and issues facing the industry. WFA also aims to provide informa on You can also find out the status of other plants and to the public on wildflower produc on in Australia. full breeders descrip ons including photos are They have a regular newsle er which is archived available of many of the plants listed. and available publicly a month a er issue. Garden Plant Conserva on Associa on of Wildflower Industry Network of NSW Australia Inc. (GPCAA) Inc (WIN) Newsle ers can also be accessed Register of plant collec ons through WFA. More informa on can be obtained Newsle er: ‘Genus’ from their contact person: Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Secretary: Frank Alla Birdwood Avenue South Yarra, Victoria, 3141, Phone: 02 4567 2093 Telephone: + 61 3 9650 5639 Email: falla @bigpond.net.au Email: [email protected] Visit Website: gpcaa.com Cedar Hill Blog: gpcaa.typepad.com h p://www.cedarhill.com.au/ Cedar Hill Corporate Group has diverse but well integrated interests in the wildflower If you have a good link which you would like to and nursery plant industries. Other share with the rest of the membership please let members of the group are Australian Flora me know and I’ll add it in to the next newsle er. Corpora on, Premium Greens Australia, VitroFlora, Sunfloral, Sunshine Flowers, Australian Plant Specialists and Hortpac. All are located on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The companies provide products and services to each other as well as other supply chain members of the Australian flower industry.
Myrtle Rust Management in Victoria h p://www.ngia.com.au/Sec on?Ac on=View&Se c on_id=527 DPI Victoria advises all businesses trading in Myrtaceae to adopt the Australian Nursery Industry Myrtle Rust Management Plan to help slow the spread of Myrtle rust. Businesses can be penalised $6,107 for Pink Flannel Flowers and burnt Heath Banksias selling plants which they are reasonably h p://www.waratahso ware.com.au/wp_flora_flannel expected to know are infected with Myrtle _flowers.html rust. At the me of wri ng, Victoria is maintaining import restric ons on Myrtle
AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY (AUSTRALIA) 8
WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012
Karwarra Gardens Karwarra. Marilyn re red in October 2007. GPCAA Na onal Telopea Collec on While the concepts laid down by Kath Deery have been maintained, other themes were integrated Edited interview with Lindy Harris - Curator into her landscape. These included a cool temper- Published in ‘Genus’ Vol 24, No 2, May 2012 ate rainforest, water areas that connected to the Reproduced with permission exis ng fern gully and a Tasmanian garden. Refer- ence collec ons of a number of genera were es- Lindy Harris has been Hor culturalist/Curator for tablished, including Boronia and Telopea which are two and a half years at Karwarra and before that currently registered on GPCAA’s Na onal Plant was on the Karwarra Garden Advisory Commi ee. Collec ons RegisterTM. In her early 20’s she began working at Austraflora Nursery and also worked for many years at Over me and as a result of the deep mountain Kuranga Na ve Nursery. Before Karwarra she soils, certain plants had begun to dominate the spent nearly four years as a Hor culturalist and gardens resul ng in reduced vigor or loss of one year in Visitor Programs at the RBG Australian smaller, less robust species including many of our Garden at Cranbourne. boronias. There has been a focus on the propaga- on of remaining significant plants, as well as re- Karwarra Gardens are situated on part of 23 acres stora ve pruning and replan ng during the last originally taken up by Thomas Hand, a surveyor, in few years. Now that this has been achieved and 1870 and farmed by the family un l 1939. It is be- new path work done, we are keen to expand the lieved the word Karwarra is an aboriginal word Boronia and Waratah collec ons and will be en- meaning ‘place of many flowers’. Part of the land deavoring to source many of the Waratah cul - was sold to the Shire of Lillydale for recrea onal vars, hybrids and variants available. purposes, while the rest was subdivided. The late May Moon, founder of the Save the Dandenongs We have some registered and unregistered cul - League, was the driving force behind the Mt. Dan- vars as well as plants held under Plant Breeder’s denong Hor cultural Society’s lobbying to estab- Rights in our collec on: lish a na ve garden in the area. In 1967 Lillydale Telopea ‘Canberry Coronet’ Council purchased a further 2 hectares adjoining Telopea oreades x speciosissima ‘Shady Lady’ the recrea onal reserve for the Mt. Dandenong Telopea truncata ‘St. Mary’s Sunrise’ Hor cultural Society to establish these gardens Telopea ‘Shady Lady White’ and erect a mee ng hall. Telopea ‘Shady Lady Yellow’ Telopea ‘Corrakee’ In the ini al stages, Mr. Ellis Stones provided land- Telopea ‘Champagne’ scaping advice to the Mt. Dandenong Hor cultural Telopea ‘Braidwood Brilliant’ Society, who established Karwarra Gardens, and Telopea speciosissima ‘Corroboree’ supervised the clearing, grading and establishment Telopea speciosissima ‘Wirrimbirra White’ of rock gardens. Most of his concept was not car- ried out. In 1978 Mrs. Kath Deery undertook the There are many Waratah variants and selec ons design of Karwarra Garden, supervising and assist- that we would love to source and include in our ing in the plan ng of more than 5000 plants from collec on for the future. On our wish list is: 1300 species over the following 6 years. Telopea speciosissima ‘Dreaming’ Telopea speciosissima ‘Shade of Pale, Control of the garden was resumed by the Shire of Telopea oreades ‘Errinundra White’ Lillydale in July 1989 and Mr. John Knight was ap- pointed Technical Officer in charge of further de- as well as many other varie es. We also have self- veloping the garden. Management of the Gardens seeded Waratahs coming up throughout the became the joint responsibility of representa ves garden. from the Shire and the Hor cultural Society. We have found that Telopea ‘Corroboree’ and Te- Marilyn Gray took over as Curator in 1992 and in- lopea ‘Braidwood Brilliant’ are terrific plants that troduced many plants from the Rutaceae family as are a li le easier to grow than many of the other well as collec ons of Loma a, Thomasia and La- Waratahs – they are also compact and display siopetalum as many of these plants are par cularly flowers well and should be more readily available well-suited to the shady-dry condi ons of in nurseries for the home gardener. AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY (AUSTRALIA) 9
WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012
Checklist of Telopea species and varieties (Recent additions are in blue) Species: Telopea aspera Gibraltar Range NSW Telopea mongaensis Braidwood Waratah - NSW Telopea oreades Gippsland Waratah - Vic. Telopea speciosissima NSW Waratah Telopea truncata Tasmanian Waratah
Pink Cultivars: Telopea speciosissima ‘Brimstone Pink’ - Fire ‘n Brimstone (Nixon) Telopea speciosissima ‘Brimstone Pink Passion’ Telopea speciosissima ‘Shade of Pale’ Telopea speciosissima x T. truncata lutea ‘Champagne’ (Downe) Telopea speciosissima x truncata ‘Digger’ - Wild Brumby (Fitzpatrick) Telopea speciosissima x mongaensis ‘Mallee Boy’ - Wild Brumby (Fitzpatrick) Telopea speciosissima ‘Tutu’ Telopea speciosissima ‘Clarence Pink’ Telopea speciosissima ‘In the Pink’ (Yellow Rock Nursery/Nixon) Telopea speciosissima x ‘Wirrimbirra White‘ ‘Dreaming’ (Fitzpatrick)
Red Cultivars: Telopea speciosissima ‘Ballerina‘ Telopea speciosissima ‘Brimstone Blush’ - Fire ‘n Brimstone (Nixon) Telopea speciosissima ‘Brimstone Early’ - Fire ‘n Brimstone (Nixon) Telopea speciosissima ‘Cardinal’ Telopea speciosissima ‘Corroboree’ Telopea speciosissima ‘Corrakee’ (Karwarra Gardens) Telopea speciosissima x oreades ‘Emperor’s Torch’ - Ausflora Pacific, Gembrook Vic. Telopea speciosissima ‘Fire and Brimstone’ - Fire ‘n Brimstone (Nixon) Telopea speciosissima ‘Fire ‘n Ice’ (Roy Rother, Emerald Vic/Downe) Telopea speciosissima x oreades ‘Gembrook’ - Ausflora Pacific, Gembrook Vic. Telopea speciosissima ‘Green Bracts’ Telopea speciosissima ‘Mirragon’ Telopea speciosissima ‘Olympic Flame’ - Mt Annan (Cathy Offord) Telopea speciosissima ‘Red Centre’ Telopea speciosissima ‘Songlines’ - Yellow Rock Nursery , Winmallee NSW Telopea speciosissima ‘Stringers Late’ Telopea speciosissima ‘Sunflare’ - Mt Annan (Cathy Offord) Telopea speciosissima ‘Sunburst’ University of Sydney (Offord, Nixon, Goodwin) Telopea speciosissima x mongaensis ‘Braidwood Brilliant’ Telopea speciosissima x oreades ‘Shady Lady Crimson’ - Proteaflora Telopea speciosissima x oreades ‘Shady Lady Pink’ - Proteaflora Telopea speciosissima x oreades ‘Shady Lady Red’ - Proteaflora Telopea speciosissima x oreades ‘T90-1-0-1’ - Proteaflora (“Shady Lady’ seed)
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WARATAH & FLANNEL FLOWER STUDY GROUP NO.3 JUNE 2012
Red Cultivars: Telopea mongaensis x speciosissima ‘Canberry Gem’ - (Dougs hybrid/Canberry Coronet) Telopea speciosissima x truncata ‘Sugar Plum’ - Wild Brumby (Fitzpatrick) Telopea truncata ‘Tasman Red’
White Cultivars: Telopea oreades ‘Errindundra White‘ Telopea speciosissima ‘Wirrimbirra White’ (also marketed briefly as ‘Shady Lady White’ - naturally occurring T. speciosissima clone found in the NSW Water Board area by Thistle Stead. Link h p://www.wirrimbirra.com.au/Wirrimbirra%20white.htm Telopea speciosissima x oreades ‘Shady Lady White’ (improved) same as ‘Bridal Gown‘ (Downe) T. speciosissima x truncata ‘Snow Maiden’ - Wild Brumby (Fitzpatrick)
Yellow/Cream Cultivars: Telopea speciosissima x truncata lutea ‘Shady Lady Yellow’ same as ‘Golden Globe’ (Downe) Telopea speciosissima x truncata ‘Georgie Girl’ - Wild Brumby (Fitzpatrick) Telopea truncata ‘St Mary’s Sunrise’ Telopea truncata ‘West Coast Yellow’
Checklist of Actinotus species and varieties
Actinotus forsythii Blue Mts, NSW, Vic Actinotus gibbonsii NSW Actinotus helianthi NSW, Qld (Flannel Flower) Actinotus leucocephalus WA Actinotus minor NSW, Qld Actinotus moorei Tas Actinotus superbus WA Actinotus swartzii MacDonnell Ranges SA
Ref: Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants, Vol 2, Elliot and Jones, Lothian 1982
Wikipedia also lists Actinotus be idioides Actinotus glomeratus Actinotus humilis Actinotus omnifertilis Actinotus paddisonii Bourke NSW Actinotus rhomboideus Actinotus suffocatus