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Ficus coronata
This bushy species grows to about 8 m and is endemic from East Gippsland, Victoria to Mackay, Queensland in dry littoral and subtropical rainforests.
It has edible fruit that grow along the branches, apparently with a sweet taste, not mine though when I tested the fruit I would describe it more dry and tasteless.
The fruit is an important part of many birds diet just one reason for growing it, this tree would also be useful in stopping erosion along creek banks as it is fast growing and has a binding root system.
The rough leaves were used by native Australians for smoothing their tools, just as sandpaper is today, hence the name.
Propergation is from seed, ripening Janurary - July; and also from cuttings.
Other species of this tree are:
F. fraseri similar to F. coronata, occurs north from Wyong, NSW. It is found throughout the rainforest, and not mainly along streams as is F. coronata.
F. platypoda (Rock Fig) this species is usually found colonising in rock crevices. It has masses of arial roots and would be excellent to provide shade in rocky shallow soils.
Pink flowering form
My Blueberry ash, Elaeocarpus reticulatus is looking pretty at this time of the year with its pink, fringed bell like flowers. The blue egg shaped 9 - 10mm long fruit will follow and ripen in about three months.
This large shrub or small tree is found mainly in rainforest areas and in moist coastal gullies from Tasmania to southern Queensland. The young foliage starts bronze changing to dark green as the plant matures. These trees start slowly, but will make an attractive specimen tree in protected areas free from frost.
Pink Eleocarpus flowers
The Banksia is a distinctive group of plants identified and named by Sir Joseph Banks in 1770. Botany Bay in Sydney got its name from a diary entry of Banks describing how his collection of plant samples had grown so large he was concerned they would spoil in the books. He took all his drying papers ashore, spread them out on a sail in the sun to dry them properly hence the name botany.
There are about 60 species of Banksia all growing in Australia, with one known exception, Banksia dentata which grows in New Guiniea. The flowers are rich in nectar and pollen providing food for honey eating birds and tiny marsupials, also attracting bees and insects. Black cockatoos are able to break open the seed pods with their strong beaks to feast on the seeds.
Indigenious Australians also feasted on the sweet flowers, some soaking the flowers in water to make a sweet drink called beal, others struck the flowers against their hands then licked off the nectar. If there were enough flowers the woman would collect the nectar in a coolamon by hitting the sides.
When the flowers die a dry fuzz remains on the central spike. Those successfully pollenated develop into velvet covered woody growths that look like swollen eyelids. In some species only a few develop giving the cob a slight human appearance, these were made famous in May Gibbs book snugglepot and cuddlepie. Each compartment holds two papery seeds that are released when heated, I put mine on a tray in the oven this works fine.
In their natural habitats Banksias are very hardy growing in poor coastal soil, in desert conditions, in infertile sandstone soils, and they even grow up in the alps. Most prefer well drained sandy soil with the odd one adapting to swamp conditions. All eastern varieties except Banksia denata are frost hardy evergreen trees ranging in height of 18 metres or more to prostrate forms that grow along the ground, with diverse leaf shapes.
Banksias are among the most most popular cultivated native Australian plants growing easily with a minimum of attention. Unfortunately though many of the western varieties wont grow in the eastern states because they suffer root rot.
Banksia ericofolia and Banksia serrata growing in native conditions.
September 27th 2009 21:32
September 22nd 2009 23:52
I have always grown a few herbs in my garden, but after working alongside an older person who looked much younger then their years, putting their good health down to eating FRESH herbs. I started to think maybe I was not including enough fresh herbs in my own diet so began my real interest in growing herbs.
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Comment by Amanda Crotty
on Blue Berry Ash
Garden Weekends
In the flower garden