Featured plants

For this month, four plants are being featured. These excellent plants are very versatile and can be grown in a range of locations in a variety of conditions.

Lomandra longifolia (Spiny-headed Mat-rush)

Spiny-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia) is a dense tussock plant with smooth strap like leaves. It grows to about 1 m tall and .5-1.2m wide. It has creamy yellow flowers from the base of the plant from September-January.

Spiny-headed Mat-rush is a good soil stabilising plant, is butterfly attracting and grows well under established trees. It is hardy and good for mass plantings. 

Pultenaea daphnoides (Large-leaf Bush-pea)

The Large-leaf Bush-pea (Pultenaea daphnoides ) is a shrub to 1-3 m tall  and .5-2m wide with medium sized wedge shaped leaves and clusters of yellow and brown pea flowers.

It is an erect open branching shrub that flowers in August–November.

The Large-leaf Bush-pea prefers well drained soil and will grow in full sun to full shade.  It tolerates dryness once established, but does like a bit of extra moisture if planted in full sun. It is a fast growing attractive shrub that responds well to pruning.

Ranunculus lappaceus (Common Buttercup)

The Common Buttercup (Ranunculus lappeaceus) is a perennial herb 10-60cm high and 30-60cm wide. It has lobed leaves and flowering stalks with 2-10 yellow flowers from August–December.

It grows in full sun to semi shade. It prefers moister soils. 

Stylidum graminifolium (Grass-leaved Trigger Plant)

The Grass-leaved Trigger Plant (Stylidium graminifolium) is a tufted perennial herb with narrow linear leaves growing 20-75 cm high. Flowers are in spikes of 10-15 flowers and pale to deep pink.

A spectacular plant which prefers moderate well drained gravelly soil and full sun to semi shade conditions with moister conditions. A good rockery or container plant.

The Grass-leaved Trigger Plant has a unique pollination method. It has a ‘trigger’ on the flower that is released when an insect lands on the flower, putting pollen on the insect.