Amanda Crotty

cow town, Queensland, AUSTRALIA


Joined March 26th 2008

Number of Posts:
34

Number of Comments:
2

Karma:
9



Blogs

Amanda Crotty's Blogs

2615 Vote(s)
4 Comment(s)
33 Post(s)
62 Vote(s)
0 Comment(s)
1 Post(s)

I mentor these bloggers

Learn more about the Orble Mentoring Program.


I do not mentor any bloggers.

Recent Posts

Sandpaper Fig

December 27th 2009 23:31
Sandpaper Fig fruit

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.

young sandpaper fig
50
Vote
   


Blue Berry Ash

November 2nd 2009 00:30
Blueberry Ash
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
48
Vote
   


Banksia

October 7th 2009 23:29
Banksia ericifolia

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
Banksia ericofolia and Banksia serrata growing in native conditions.


20
Vote
   


Xanthorrhoea

October 2nd 2009 02:27
21
Vote
   


Callistemon

September 27th 2009 21:32
34
Vote
   


coriander, cilantro

September 22nd 2009 23:52
Coriandrum sativum



[ Click here to read more ]
29
Vote
   


Borage

August 10th 2009 09:23
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.


[ Click here to read more ]
42
Vote
   


My garden

July 30th 2009 10:04
32
Vote
   


Clerodendrum ugandense

April 21st 2009 23:03
Blue Butterfly Bush


[ Click here to read more ]
53
Vote
   


Pentas

February 13th 2009 22:59
66
Vote
   


 

Recent Comments

Comment by Amanda Crotty
on Blue Berry Ash

November 14th 2009 21:37
Thanks for your kind words.

Comment by Amanda Crotty
on Feeling

April 10th 2008 09:37
Thanks for writing about this mighty effort by Dave and Malcom.