Approved Plants for Common Areas

This is the palette of recommended plants for the common area gardens with links to photos and more information from other sites

    1. Acacia fimbriata – (Brisbane wattle) 4-5m Note: this is a tree, please check location before planting
    2. Alpinia caerulea (native ginger) 2-3m understory plant likes shade
    3. Austromyrtus dulcis (midgen berry), 1m
    4. Baeckea virgata some prostrate versions of this were in the BCC plants – one in garden by front car park and some in gardens by Units 7 and 10
    5. Carpobrotus glaucescens (native pigface) 15cm groundcover – very hardy easy to propagate. Some small plants have been put in the front garden. video with native bee
    6. Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Yellow Buttons) groundcover
    7. Citrus australis (native lime) 3m – useful for cooking without the issues of exotic citrus. Good habitat plant for butterflies and small birds
    8. Crinum pedunculatum, (river lily/swamp lily) 1.2m beautiful flowers, strappy green leaves, native bees. There is one of these beside Unit 2 and 3 beside Unit 6
    9. Dianella caerulea 1m to line edges of concrete – use drifts rather than straight lines. Quite a few of these have been planted in the front gardens (free BCC plants)
    10. Doryanthes palmeri 3m for the inserts on front wall (Local version of gymea lily)
    11. Goodenia ovata, 50cm, yellow flowers, mounding groundcover
    12. Hardenbergia violacea climber or rambler
    13. Hibbertia scandens climber or rambler
    14. Leptospermum petersonii (lemon scented tee tree)4m, mozzie repellant
    15. Lomandra confertifolia 30cm
    16. Myoporum boninense ssp.australe (Boobialla), fleshy green leaves, tiny white flowers. There is one in the garden beside Unit 10.
    17. Pavetta australiensis 2m called butterfly bush white flowers, very hardy
    18. Plectranthus argentatus 1m
    19. Plumbago zeylanica 40cm groundcover (not the exotic plumbago) host plant to 5 different butterflies Contact with the leaves and roots can cause severe skin irritation, redness and blistering so should be positioned where people won’t come into contact. Needs trimming to keep in check
    20. Pseuderanthemum variabile  to 15cm (love flower) butterfly plant
    21. Psychotria loniceroides shrub to 3m good for small birds
    22. Scaevola albida 10cm (fan flower) mounding groundcover blue flowers – good contrast with goodenia. Plant anywhere
    23. Sophora fraseri 1m – listed as vulnerable
    24. Syzygium wilsonii 3m example planting beside Unit 10 to provide cooling  from the western sun.

Many of the above plants are bush tucker plants. All are available at low prices from Kumbartcho Community Nursery, many are easily propagated, and some can be sourced via the Brisbane City Council Native Plant Scheme

See also BCC environment and sustainability for tips on gardening, plants, composting, etc.

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