What's Happened to 'Gumnuts' |
14 October 2009 8:52 PM
You may have noticed that there haven't been any new posts for some time - or, at least, the few people who read 'Gumnuts' may have noticed.....Basically, that's the problem.
There simply isn't enough activity on the blog to warrant the time in compiling it so, for the time being, it's in recess. Whether it will recommence in the future remains to be seen.
So, for now. That's all folks!
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Favourites: Grevillea umbellulata subsp. acerosa |
14 August 2009 8:00 PM
Tony Cavanagh writes....This long-time favourite of mine has rather an involved name but was better known for many years (and is possibly still available) as "Grevillea acerosa". However, Peter Olde and Neil Marriott decided when they published Vol.3 of The Grevillea Book in 1995 that it was one of two subspecies of G. umbellulata, originally described by the Swiss botanist Meisner in 1848.
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Photos: Tony Cavanagh
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Subsp. acerosa has been in cultivation since the mid 1950s and has the reputation for being very hardy with a spectacular display of flowers in late winter and spring. Although in the wild it often grows in winter-wet depressions, in cultivation it can withstand extended periods of dryness and frosts down to -6 C.
It comes from Western Australia being widespread around Hyden, Dumbleyung and Mt. Ravensthorpe. It flowers best in near full sun but can tolerate some shade. I have found that it does not thrive in very dry conditions, merely hanging on and flowering poorly. Come spring it is a joy as the whole bush is covered by the white-grey flowers so that you can't see the foliage. It is low growing, 30 to 50 cm high with up to 1 m spread, and rarely requires much attention in the garden, although light pruning helps flowering.
I believe that I bought my plant from a nursery in the 1980s and we have propagated it from cuttings with few troubles. I have never tried it in a pot but it would probably be very satisfactory.
Previous Favourites
| Pseuderanthemum variabile | |
| Acacia assimilis | Hibiscus divaricatus 'Golden Haze' |
| Prostanthera 'Poorinda Ballerina' | Chamelaucium uncinatum: Geraldton wax |
| Grevillea buxifolia: Grey Spider flower | Angophora hispida: Dwarf apple |
| Hypocalymma angustifolium: White myrtle | Calytrix tetragona - follow up |
| Calyrtix tetragona: Fringe myrtle | Pimelia physodes: Qualup Bell |
| Ricinocarpos pinifolius: Wedding bush | Senna artemisioides: Silver cassia |
| Philotheca myoporoides: Long-leaf wax flower | Epacris longiflora |
| Kangaroo Paw Hybrids | Alloxylon flammeum: Tree waratah |
| Jacksonia scoparia: Dogwood | Banksia media: Southern plains banksia |
| Correa 'Mannii' | Myoporum floribundum: Slender myoporum |
| Hibbertia diffusa: Wedge guinea flower | Callistemon 'Injune' |
"Australian Plants online" - August 2009 Update |
13 August 2009 8:05 PM
ANPSA's online magazine has been updated. You can find the new articles, short items and reviews at the Australian Plants online Index.- Feature Article: Growing Western Banksias in Containers - Growing in containers may be successful with some western species
- Feature Article: Insects and Flowers - Insects and plants have a complex relationship and they inter-react in a variety of ways
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Photo: Brian Walters |
- Short Cuts: An Australian Style Garden - What comes to mind when you think of an Australian-style garden?
- Short Cuts: Getting to Know the Boab Tree - Australia's only member of the genus Adansonia, the boab is an iconic tree of the north-west
- Review: Banksias: A Field and Garden Guide - Ivan Holliday and Geoffrey Watton.
Seed Germination Database |
10 August 2009 10:08 PM
Thanks to Joy and Bob Coghlan for this information.In a first for an Australian Botanic Garden, the Royal Tasmanian Botanic garden has developed a web-based seed germination database to provide public access to germination data. Users can search by Family or Genus and download the results of seed germination tests as PDF files.
The database currently holds 2112 completed germination tests conducted on 418 of collections, representing 405 different taxa. As the Seedbank is still in its infancy species coverage is still rather narrow but this will naturally increase with time.
The database will be invaluable for people involved in the propagation of native species, from Land Care Groups involved in restoration ecology through to the amateur gardener.
Flora of the NSW Central Coast - CD |
10 August 2009 7:05 PM
The Central Coast Group of the Australian Plants Society (NSW) has produced a CD called:Native Plants & Bushwalks of the NSW Central Coast
The CD has been in the produced through the involvement of many of the Group' s members who shared expertise and love of native plants and computer technology. The CD is a magnificent resource with which to study and identify native plants. It contains approximately 400 photos of flora of the Central Coast of NSW, with descriptions and likely locations as well as details of 24 bushwalks in National Parks, State Forests and Reserves of the Central Coast region. Each bushwalk has a listing of the plants which may be found along that walk and in some cases maps are included.
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Copies of the CD can be obtained from the Central Coast Group of the Australian Plants Society for $15.00 ea. Add $2.50 for Postage. Further details on the Group's website.
Banksias - A Field and Garden Guide |
5 August 2009 5:15 PM
The South Australian branch of the Society has recently financed the publication of a revised edition of A Field Guide to Banksias, first published by Adelaide's Rigby Ltd. in 1975. This new edition is called Banksias - A Field and Garden Guide. |
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This book retails at $29.95 or $25.00 to members and is available at the monthly meetings of the Society or by contacting Geoff Watton (email : wattongd@NO_SPAMyahoo.com.au; as usual, remove 'NO_SPAM' from the address).
Australian Plants online - July 2009 Update |
31 July 2009 8:27 PM
ANPSA's online magazine has been updated. You can find the new articles, short items and reviews at the Australian Plants online Index.- Feature Article: Teatree Web Moth (Webbing Caterpillar) - A nasty little pest that can disfigure small-leaved teatrees and other Myrtaceae
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Photo: Ben Walcott |
- Short Cuts: Propagating Difficult Seed - When all else fails - improvise!
- Short Cuts: Sooty Mould on Correas and Other Native Plants - Watch out for sooty mould - early treatment is the key
- Short Cuts: Acacias, Butterflies and Ants - Don't be in too much of a hurry to kill caterpillars - you may miss something special.
- Review: Flowering Plant Families of the World - V.H. Heywood, R.K. Brummitt, A. Culham and O. Seberg.
Centurion - World's Tallest Hardwood Tree |
15 July 2009 1:17 PM
This is probably old news to some readers but it's new news to me.....Forestry Tasmania reports that the world's tallest hardwood tree, a Eucalyptus regnans, has been discovered less than five kilometres from Forestry Tasmania's Tahune Airwalk tourism attraction.
The tree, named Centurion by Forestry Tasmania staff, has a height of 100 - 101 metres, but because the sight to the very top of the tree was partially obscured by the tree’s healthy crown when the measurement was made, it may be taller. The tree has a diameter of 405 cm.
Centurion is the tallest known tree existing in Australia. It is the tallest hardwood tree in the world, and the tallest flowering plant in the world. Californian Redwood trees are taller, but these are softwood trees, and are not classified as flowering plants.
Further details are available on Forestry Tasmania's web site.
What's Happening to the Australian Heaths? |
10 July 2009 4:03 PM
Well, nothing as far as the heaths themselves are concerned...... but moves are afoot to change their classification. |
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The Ericaceae is widely distributed in the northern Hemisphere and Africa and includes such well known garden plants as Erica, Rhododendron, Azalea and Pieris. Prior to this recent research the Ericaceae was regarded as being poorly represented in Australia.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, has already implemented this re-classification and it is understood that the Western Australian herbarium is in the process of doing the same. Currenly the other states and the Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra do not appear to have adopted the reclassification (or, at least they are still using "Epcridaceae' on their websites.
APS Blue Mountains Group - Annual Seminar |
3 July 2009 9:31 AM
Each year in August, the Blue Mountains Group of the Australian Plants Society holds a seminar on some aspect of growing, propagating or appreciating the Australian flora.This year the Seminar will be held on Sunday 2 August from 9:30am to 4:00pm and the topic is:
A Synthesis of Art, Science and History
This program will consider:
- Scientific botanical illustration
- Botanical art
- Craft and design such as stained glass, ceramics, quilting, woodcrafts
The morning program focuses on botanical illustration and art. The keynote speaker will be Emma Gray, research and reference librarian from the State Library of NSW, who will talk on the Library's 'Botanica' website which portrays illustrations of Australian flora from the 17th to 19th centuries. Marian Westmacott, one of Australia's most experienced scientific illustrators, will speak about illustrating native plants and artists will speak about their own work.
The afternoon session is devoted to design and craft with a keynote address by Margaret Betteridge, museum consultant and exhibition curator and author of Australian Flora in Art. Margaret will speak about the history of the depiction of native plants in a wide range of crafts such as stained glass, china painting and leather work. This will be followed by craft practitioners speaking about and displaying their own work, especially embroidery and china painting.
The venue is the Blaxland Neighbourhood Centre, Hope St, Blaxland. The Centre is off the Great Western Highway behind the Blaxland shopping centre. - an easy walk from Blaxland Station. If driving, turn at the lights at McDonalds. Parking available.
Admission: $20.00 incl catering.
Inquiries:
Merle Thompson - Phone: 02 4758 6637; Email: callitrisNO_SPAM@bigpond.com (remove 'NO-SPAM' from the address).
Jane Toxward - Phone: 02 4739 1905
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What's Happened to 'Gumnuts'
Favourites: Grevillea umbellulata subsp. acerosa
"Australian Plants online" - August 2009 Update
Seed Germination Database
Flora of the NSW Central Coast - CD
Banksias - A Field and Garden Guide
Australian Plants online - July 2009 Update
Centurion - World's Tallest Hardwood Tree
What's Happening to the Australian Heaths?
APS Blue Mountains Group - Annual Seminar