Gravelly red and yellow loamy top soils over clay
Our climate and growing conditions are perfect for so many plants, so here is what to plant in this type of soil.
Ground covers and grasses (up to one metre) and vines
| Common name | Botanical name | Features |
|---|---|---|
Barbed-wire grass | Cymbopogon refractus | soft blue-green, tufted perennial aromatic grass with taller arching seed heads, resembling barbed wire |
Blue daisy | Brachyscome microcarpa | pale blue daisy growing in scattered clumps on better soils; flowers spring to autumn |
Blue flax lily | Dianella longifolia | small lily of open eucalypt forest; blue flowers; bright blue berries; suit rockery or foreground planting |
Kangaroo grass | Themeda triandra | widespread grass of the eucalypt forest; fine foliage; coppery seed heads in summer |
Sarsaparilla vine | Hardenbergia violacea | fine scrambling hardy vine; deep purple pea flowers in late winter; will cover lattice-work |
Scrambling lily | Geitonoplesium cymosum | grassy-leafed scrambler; shiny black berry with dainty, white, perfumed flowers; fresh shoots edible |
Swamp water fern | Blechnum indicum | upright hardy understorey fern of paperbark lowlands; open graceful form; edible starchy root |
Yellow summer lily | Tricoryne elatior | dainty, rush-leafed lily; small yellow star flowers in summer; grows in open forest |
Low shrubs (one to two metres)
| Common name | Botanical name | Features |
|---|---|---|
Crinkle bush | Lomatia | decorative open shrub; intricate foliage; white grevillea-like flowers; moist, well drained soils |
Dogwood | Jacksonia scoparia | fine-leafed hardy shrub for sunny position; clusters of yellow pea flowers; porous soils |
False coffee bush | Breynia oblongifolia | small shrub with arching branches; small red-black fruit; open, well drained, moist site; attracts butterflies |
Pointed leaf hovea | Hovea | fine open shrub; purple pea flowers in late winter; prefers filtered light; deeper soils |
Medium shrubs (two to five metres)
| Common name | Botanical name | Features |
|---|---|---|
Brisbane laurel | Pittosporum revolutum | open shrub with cream flowers; evening fragrance; yellow fruit open to reveal red seeds; attracts birds |
Geebung | Persoonia cornifolia | hardy shrub; upright habit; mid-green foliage; small, yellow fuschia-like flowers; yellow edible fruit |
Green kamala | Mallotus claoxyloides | "smell of the bush" shrub for understorey in rainforest garden; male and female plants |
Grey myrtle | Backhousia myrtifolia | small spreading understorey tree with small leaves; fragrant foliage and beautiful flowers |
Native hibiscus | Hibiscus heterophyllus | slender tall shrub; large white flowers with deep red throat; prickly stems |
Prickly-leafed paperbark | Melaleuca | tall, fine-leafed shrub; creamy yellow pom-pom brushes; well drained sunny position |
Scaly myrtle | Austromyrtus hillii | small rainforest tree with glossy leaves and dainty white flowers; black fruit |
White bottlebrush | Callistemon salignus | small bushy tree; new foliage pink; nectar-rich; cream brushes attract wildlife |
Small trees (five to 10 metres)
| Common name | Botanical name | Features |
|---|---|---|
Black she-oak | Allocasuarina littoralis | medium tree; fine needle foliage; male trees a rusty colour during winter flowering period; butterflies |
Foam bark tree | Jagera pseudorhus | handsome tree; dark pinnate leaves; panicles of pink flowers; rusty coloured hairy fruit |
Red kamala | Mallotus philippensis | nicely shaped tree if grown in sun; can be pruned to give new reddish growth; velvety red fruit |
Sandpaper fig | Ficus fraseri | slender upright medium tree; leaves have sandpaper texture; dark edible fruit |
Swamp box | Lophostemon suaveolens | fast growing eucalypt-like tree with graceful branch form; open canopy; frequent flowering periods |
Tulipwood | Harpullia pendula | small shade tree; disease free and hardy; bright green pinnate foliage; decorative orange fruit persists |
Umbrella cheese tree | Glochidion sumatranum | fast growing tree with large soft leaves; moist, deep soils; edam cheese shaped fruit |
Tall trees (over 10 metres)
| Common name | Botanical name | Features |
|---|---|---|
Brush box | Lophostemon confertus | large tree with deep green horizontal foliage; bare pink bark in upper branches; favours south slopes |
Celerywood | Polyscias | handsome shade tree; long pinnate leaves, fast growing pioneer in rich, moist soils; draws wildlife |
Grey ironbark | Eucalyptus siderophloia | large trees for acreage or steep sites; comprised original canopy of the area; trunks a feature; provide food, nest and perch sites for varied native wildlife |
Pink bloodwood | Corymbia intermedia | large trees for acreage or steep sites; comprised original canopy of the area; trunks a feature; provide food, nest and perch sites for varied native wildlife |
Scribbly gum | Eucalyptus signata | large trees for acreage or steep sites; comprised original canopy of the area; trunks a feature; provide food, nest and perch sites for varied native wildlife |
Spotted gum | Corymbia citriodora | large trees for acreage or steep sites; comprised original canopy of the area; trunks a feature; provide food, nest and perch sites for varied native wildlife |