Carex apressa (Tall Sedge)
Form: Sedge to 1.5 tall by 0.8 metres wide
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable
Aspect: Full sun / Filtered Sun
Description:
Long narrow leaves.
Minute greenish-brown flower on spikes similar to foxtails.
Likes moisture & will tolerate roots in water.
Frost resistant, drought tender.
Family: Cyperaceae
Special Features:
Crinum pedunculatum (Swamp Lily, River Lily)
Form: Lily to 1 metre tall
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable
Aspect: Full sun / Part Shade
Description:
Attractive perennial, with strap-like fleshy leaves to 1m
long & 10cm wide at base, large white scented flowers on long stems Oct-Jan.
Hardy, will grow in water & damp spots but is also drought & salt tolerant.
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Special Features:
Bush medicine: Leaves crushed and rubbed on the body to relieve pain from stings
Cymbopogon refractus (Barbed Wire Grass)
Form: Grass to 1.5 metres tall
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable
Aspect: Full sun / Filtered Sun
Description:
Perennial tussock-forming grass.
Arching bluish-green foliage which is lemon scented when crushed.
Soft flower heads resemble barbed wire.
Hardy, grows on sand dunes and under eucalyptus trees.
Family: Cyperaceae
Special Features:
Provides shelter to wildlife & host to Evening Brown Butterfly.
Dianella caerulea (Blue Flax Lily)
Form: Lily to 1 metre tall by 40 cm wide
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable
Aspect: Full sun / Filtered Sun
Description:
Tufting habit.
Beautiful blue and yellow flowers in Spring-Autumn.
Attractive purple-blue 10mm edible berries.
Family: Hemerocallidaceae
Special Features:
Bird & butterfly attracting.
Excellent garden plant for sun or shade, for borders, and as a feature plant.
Dianella congesta (Beach Flax Lily)
Form: Lily to 70cm tall x 30cm wide
Soil / Conditions: Well drained
Aspect: Filtered sun /Full sun
Description:
Tufting habit, beautiful blue & yellow flowers in Spring-Autumn, followed by attractive purple-blue edible berries.
Excellent garden plant for sun or shade, for borders, and as a feature plant.
Smaller than Dianella caerulea.
Family: Xanthorrhoeceae
Special Features:
Attracts birds & butterflies.
Ficinia nodosa (Knobby Club Rush)
Form: Rush to 1 metre tall
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable
Description:
Perennial tufted rush with erect rigid stems.
Furry brown round seed heads. Can be used near pools or for seaside plantings and for binding sandy soils.
Rhizomatous roots & very hardy, also tolerates brackish
water.
Fast growing & drought proof.
Family: Cyperaceae
Gahnia aspera (Saw Sedge)
Form: Sedge to 80cm tall
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable
Aspect: Filtered sun /Full sun
Description:
Tufting or tussock plant.
Common name refers to the sharp leaf edges.
Black/brown flower spike with red seeds.
Flowering Spring and Summer.
Family: Cyperaceae
Special Features:
Aborigines made flour from the seeds.
Butterfly food.
Shelter for small birds.
Gahnia sieberiana (Sword Sedge, Red-fruited Saw Sedge)
Form: Sedge to 3 metres tall
Soil / Conditions: Moist
Aspect: Full sun
Description:
Large Sedge with hollow stem
Flower spikes to 90 cm
Cluster of flowers, Leaves, etc arising from about the same point
Leaves to 3 metres, edges saw-toothed and slightly bluish below.
Family: Cyperaceae
Special Features:
Bush food – bases chewed, and leaf buds eaten by aborigines.
Nuts pounded to produce flour.
Looped leaves used for gathering honey from tree hollows.
Bird attracting; known food plant of ground parrots.
Butterfly larval food
Frog habitat
Lomandra hystrix (Green Mat-Rush, Slender or Creek Mat-Rush)
Form: Sedge to 1.5 metres tall by 1.5 metres wide
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable
Aspect: Full sun / Part Shade
Description:
Long arching dark green leaves forming large tufts.
Tiny perfumed cream flowers on spikes.
Extremely tough & hardy, drought & frost tolerant.
Good soil binder on embankments and roadsides.
Family: Laxmanniaceae
Special Features:
Attracts butterflies.
Lomandra longifolia (Local Mat-Rush)
Form: Sedge to 1 metre tall
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable
Aspect: Full sun / Part Shade
Description:
Strap-like green-grey leaves
Spiny flower spikes with fragrant yellow or purple flowers in Spring,
brown seed.
Very hardy, drought and frost tolerant when established.
Family: Laxmanniaceae
Special Features:
Great for erosion control on banks.
This is the smaller local Sunshine Coast form from the coastal forests.
Patersonia sericea (Native Iris)
Form: Small Lily to 40 cm tall
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable
Aspect: Full sun / Filtered Sun
Description:
Tufting lily with flat or round leaves 15- 40cm long.
Flowers late winter/early spring. 2-3 cm dark blue-purple
stunning flowers.
Cylindrical seed capsule.
Family: Apocynaceae
Special Features:
Occurs naturally in sandy heath areas.
Great small garden plant.
Philydrum lanuginosum (Frogmouth)
Form: Water plant to 1.2 metres tall
Soil / Conditions: Wet
Aspect: Filtered sun /Full sun
Description:
Attractive erect perennial, tufting habit, long fleshy
leaves & lovely yellow flowers on 1m spikes in Spring/
Winter.
Provides food & cover for birds.
Excellent pond, dam or creek side plant.
Tolerates periodic inundation.
Family: Phylidraceae
Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass)
Form: Grass to 1 metre tall
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable/Dry
Aspect: Filtered sun /Full sun
Description:
Leaf 50cm long, flower spike to 1m with brown seeds.
Attractive long green shiny foliage.
Great drought-proof grass that loves drier sites, embankments etc.
Will grow in full sun or with dappled light.
Family: Poaceae
Special Features:
Kangaroo food.
Occurs all over Australia.
Xanthorrhoea macronema (Bottlebrush Grass Tree)
Form: Grass tree to 1 metre tall without trunk
Soil / Conditions: Well drained/Dry
Description:
Attractive long green shiny foliage.
Creamy-white flowers autumn to summer.
Flower spike can grow to 1.5m above foliage.
Slow growing.
Family: Xanthorrhoeceae
Special Features:
Attracts birds & native bees.
Xanthorrhoea fulva (Wallum Grass Tree)
Form: Grass tree to 2 metres tall without trunk
Soil / Conditions: Adaptable/Moist
Aspect: Full Sun
Description:
Attractive long green shiny foliage.
Flowers late winter to spring.
Grows as a large tuft in sandy soils without a trunk.
Great for smaller gardens in a sunny position.
Flower spike still gets to 2 metres tall.
Family: Xanthorrhoeceae
Special Features:
Attracts birds & bees.
Xanthorrhoea johnsonii (Forest Grass tree)
Form: Grass tree to 2 to 4 metre tall with trunk
Soil / Conditions: Well drained/Dry
Aspect: Full sun
Description:
Attractive long green shiny foliage.
Creamy-white flowers autumn to summer.
Flower spike can grow to 2m above foliage.
Slow growing.
Family: Xanthorrhoeceae
Special Features:
Attracts birds & native bees.