| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| AussieChick |
Posted - Dec 20 2021 : 5:58:09 PM
As part of my intermediate "Grow Where You're Planted" merit badge, I am required to present a brief presentation on my 5 chosen Australian native plants (how they were once a vital part of the ecosystem and how they are incorporated into my garden space). Enjoy!
Kalbarri Carpet (Eremophila glabra). A lovely ground cover shrub, with dense soft grey foliage and beautifully contrasting yellow-gold flowers. Main flowering is in spring and summer, with spot flowers in winter and autumn, and birds and other nectar feeders love them. It has a one to two metre spread, and is drought and frost tolerant. These plants are often known as poverty bushes because of their unpalatability to stock and their ability to persist under conditions that other more desirable plants cannot. They have also been known as the emu bush because emus will feed on the fleshy fruits of some species. Eremophila have played an important role in traditional Aboriginal medicine and culture, and many have the potential for pharmaceutical uses.
Pigface (Corpabratus glaucescens). This plant brightens up a garden space. Aborigines ate the succulent green leaves, squeezed out the fleshy pink fruit that has a sweet, salty taste. Juice straight from the leaves can be used as a lotion to relieve the pain of burns and stings. A native plant of Australian coastal areas including Botany Bay.
Prostate Hop Goodenia (Goodenia ovata). This is a very tough ground covering plant that features buttercup yellow flowers over an extended period in spring and summer and bright green fleshy leaves. This native is great when used as a groundcover, and is hardy and adaptable. The butterflies, bees and native birds love it.
Green Mat Rush (Lomandra hystrix). The plant is often used for revegetation of watercourses and erosion control. The starchy, fleshy bases of the leaves are edible, tasting of raw peas. Even when the roots are exposed it will cling tenaciously in poor soils.
Dwarf Coastal Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa). This is a very compact form and is very adaptable to most situations. Its grey-green foliage and small white flowers are attractive to butterflies and harmless native bees. This is an extremely tough ground cover that is great for stabilising erosion prone banks or just generally wherever a dense growing and weed deterring ground cover is required.
Farmgirl #6058
Farmgirl Sister of the Year 2021
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have". |
| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Dec 25 2021 : 3:39:37 PM
Cindy, your presentation here is most interesting. It is fun to learn about what is growing on the other side of the World and the history of the plants. i am glad you have great photos to share too because that makes it easier to envision what you are talking about. Great job and thanks for sharing!
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015
FGOTM- October 2018 |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Dec 24 2021 : 1:00:46 PM
Cindy, I would love to hear what you discover from using it.
Krista |
| AussieChick |
Posted - Dec 22 2021 : 2:48:54 PM
Yes, Krista - all of these plants are growing in my garden. I haven't tried the Pigface juice yet. I usually go for the old Aloe Vera for burns and stings, but now that I have learnt a little more about this humble groundcover, I'm keen to give it a go.
Farmgirl #6058
Farmgirl Sister of the Year 2021
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have". |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Dec 22 2021 : 1:12:34 PM
Cindy, great job on your intermediate level merit badge. Are each one of these plants in your yard? I like the Pigface plant. It looks pretty with that pop of red and I love the uses for it. Have you made any lotion yet with the juice from the leaves? Can you use it on a bee sting for example with just the juice or does it need to be a lotion first?
Krista |
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