Plant Guide

Plant Guide to
TREES
for the West Coast
Bottlebrush
‘Callistemon ‘Harkness’
Long lasting, spectacular displays of showy red flowers
Callistemon 'Harkness' is a hybrid from the
Gawler area of South Australia. It is one of
the best bottle brushes ever, with its long
lasting, spectacular display of showy red
flowers. It’s a large evergreen shrub or small
tree, 5-6m tall.
It has a semi weeping habit and produces
masses of large blood-red flowers in spring
and early summer.
'Harkness' will grow in all areas of Australia.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Evergreen tree with weeping foliage and showy red flowers
5 x 5m
Full sun
CARE
Prune to maintain shape
USES
Screenings, hedges, native theme garden
SOIL TYPE
Well drained sandy soil
Bottlebrush
‘Callistemon ‘Kings Park Special ’
Stunning spring display of scarlet bottlebrushes
Callistemon 'King's Park Special' is low
maintenance and tolerates coastal situations.
A large vigorous shrub/small tree growing to 4
to 6 metres high by 2 metres wide,
Callistemon 'Kings Park Special' has a neat,
narrow domed shape. The narrow green
leaves are dense, with soft velvety new growth
after flowering.
Due to its compact size, the ‘Kings Park
Special’ Bottlebrush is an ideal plant for where
space is limited, such as narrow strips. Makes
a spectacular feature tree in small gardens,
but also excels as a screen. Forms a neat
hedge with or without pruning, but will respond
well to pruning, after flowering, with thicker
growth and increased flowering the following
season.
Whilst drought tolerant when established, it will
thrive in soils that are moist, well drained and
slightly acidic. Great for coastal and exposed
conditions, Callistemon 'Kings Park Special'
prefers a sunny position, and is frost hardy.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Tall shrub or small tree with weeping foliage
4 — 6m x 2m
Full sun
CARE
Prune to maintain shape and encourage flowering
USES
Feature tree, screening, hedging
SOIL TYPE
Well drained soil
Coral Gum
‘Eucalyptus Torquata ’
Narrow upright habit with rough, flaking bark
The Coral Gum produces masses of striking
coral pink blossoms through most of the
summer.
It has a fairly narrow, upright habit and has
rough, flaking bark.
The blue-grey-green foliage forms a compact
crown, and the branches droop under the
weight of the flowers pods.
It will with stand dry conditions but does prefer
some moisture.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Narrow upright habit with coral pink blossoms
12m x 3m
Full sun
CARE
Water during prolonged periods of heat
USES
Ornamental, coastal plantings
SOIL TYPE
Light to medium well drained soil
Cup Gum
‘Eucalyptus Cosmophylla ’
Leathery leaves and large fruit capsules with white/cream flowers
Eucalyptus Cosmophylla or 'Cup Gum' is a small
rounded tree occurring naturally in the southern
Mount Lofty Ranges and on Kangaroo Island.
Cup Gum occupies sites characterised by
leached sandy or stony infertile soils in areas
subject to relatively high rainfall.
An excellent small tree for windy exposed sites
where foliage cover to ground level is sought.
Eucalyptus Cosmophylla (Cup Gum) grows to a
mature height of around 4 - 6 metres with a
spread of up to 6 metres. It has distinctive
leathery leaves and large fruit capsules with
white/cream flowers.
Cup Gum is so named because of the shape of
the fruit capsules.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Small evergreen with white/cream flowers
4 — 6m x 6m
Full sun
CARE
Water during prolonged periods of heat
USES
Feature tree, small garden or formal garden
SOIL TYPE
Well drained sandy soil
Dragon Tree
‘Draceana Draco ’
A unique and grand feature tree
The Dragon Tree is one of the world’s most
unique and grand feature trees.
With succulent branches and strap-like leaves,
thick smooth trunk and blue-green foliage, even
when young, Dracaena Draco gives off an aura
few plants can match.
Its hardiness and will to survive make it the
perfect plant for our drought stricken lands and
worthy of the title ‘the ultimate in architectural
planting’.
This slow-growing medium sized tree is widely
branching when mature, resembling an insideout umbrella. It may eventually reach a height of
10m with a trunk 1m in diameter and 60cm long
lance-shaped leaves.
It produces panicles of off-white flowers in
spring, which are followed by large orange
berries in summer.
Dracaenas need warm-temperate conditions,
full sun or part-shade. They adapt really well to
most soils provided they are given occasional
water, a small amount of food and have freely
draining soil.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Succulent branches and strap like leaves
10 — 1m
Full sun or part shade
CARE
Water occasionally
USES
Feature tree, architectural planting
SOIL TYPE
Well drained soil
Euccy Dwarf
‘Eucalyptus Leucoxylon’
Light open canopy with smooth shedding bark
A shapely native tree with a light open canopy,
single trunk and smooth bark that sheds. Its
grey-green leaves once mature is offset by
masses of pink, red and sometimes cream
blossom from late autumn to early summer. Bird
attracting.
Due to its size it is great for small gardens and
landscapes particularly in groups to create a
bushland affect.
The Euccy Dwarf prefers full sun or light shade
in well-drained sandy loam soils. It is tolerant of
frost and coastal conditions.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Slender native with grey green leaves and pink/red flowers
6m x 5m
Full sun or part shade
CARE
Low water requirement once established
USES
Small gardens or native / bushland themed gardens
SOIL TYPE
Sandy Loam
Fuschia Gum
‘Eucalyptus Forrestiana ’
Highly ornamental , bright red fruit buds & contrasting yellow flowers
The Fuchsia Gum is an upright open tree or mallee
with smooth bark. It is a small tree growing from 4 —
7 metres high.
The Fuchsia Gum is a highly ornamental tree from
the drier regions of south west WA. It has bright red
fruit buds, and flowers between summer and autumn
with contrasting yellow flowers.
The Fuchsia Gum is a uniquely Australian genus of
plants with over 600 species, as ornamentals they
are grown for their many different features, i.e. the
colour and form of their foliage, bark, buds, flowers
and fruit, the variety of their tree heights and forms
and their adaptability to a wide range of
environments from frontline coastal to severe alpine
conditions.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Upright open habit with striking red buds
4 — 7 m x 3 — 4m
Full sun
CARE
Formative pruning during early stages of development
USES
Native, Mediterranean or coastal gardens
SOIL TYPE
Sandy — clay loam
Golden Wattle
‘Acacia Pycnantha ’
Golden yellow ball shaped flowers
Possibly the best known amongst the Australian
plants. With 600 or more kinds of wattles, they
can be found in every part of the country.
Acacia Pyncatha can be found growing in the
most remote areas such as in South Australia's
Eyre Peninsula, western Victoria and southern
inland areas of New South Wales.
The individual flowers are always very small and
massed together in pom-pom heads or rod-like
spikes. Whilst most wattles are spring-flowering,
there are some that bloom all year round. The
Acacia Pyncatha has smooth, dark brown to
grey bark. Some other notable wattles are
Acacia Tetragonophylla (Dead Finish) and
Acacia Pendula (Weeping Myall).
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Upright tree with golden yellow ball shaped flowers
3 — 10m x 2 — 6m
Full sun
CARE
Low water requirement once established
USES
Native themed garden
SOIL TYPE
Tolerant of a variety of soil types
Goolwa Gem
‘Eucalytpus Leucoxylon ’
Fast growing, bird attracting native
A native gum to South Australia and Victoria,
this compact gum looks after itself.
It can grow quickly (1m a year for the first 3
years) if given some additional water over
Summer.
The flowers attract a host of birds. Goolwa Gem
is dense and bushy, growing 3 — 7m x 2 - 4m.
Clusters of pink to red flowers appear from
Autumn through to late Spring. Flower colour
can vary from white or pale pink through to red.
Goolwa Gem is drought, lime and coastal
tolerant.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Ornamental small tree
3 — 7m x 2 — 4m
Full sun or part shade
CARE
Low water requirement once established
USES
Shade or feature tree
SOIL TYPE
Sandy loam
Lemon Scented Gum
‘Eucalytpus Citrodela’
Picturesque stature & lemon scented foliage
A large evergreen tree to 30m high with a tall
straight trunk 60cm — 1.3m in diameter with
smooth bark throughout, white to pink or
coppery, often powdery, shedding in thin curling
flakes.
It has a thin, graceful crown of drooping foliage.
Well liked for its picturesque stature & lemon
scented foliage.
Please note that dwarf varieties are also
available.
DESCRIPTION
Evergreen tree
HEIGHT & WIDTH
Up to 30m high
POSITION
Full sun
CARE
Drought tolerant species once established
USES
Feature shade tree
SOIL TYPE
Wide variety of soil types that are free draining
Pencil Pine
‘Cupressus Sempervirens ‘Glauca’
Tall dark green column maintaining a compact habit
The best green "Pencil Pine" available.
Cupressus Sempervirens 'Glauca' Conifer Italian Cypress Pencil Pine is a tall dark green
column maintaining a compact habit.
In 10 years a size of 5m x 50cm should be
reached. It very rarely produces ugly "nuts."
Italian Cypress trees give height to your
foundation plantings without taking up a lot of
room. It is very long-lived, with some trees
reported to be over 1,000 years old.
Pencil pines like a moist, well-drained soil and
thrive in part shade to full sun. They grow
almost everywhere, require little water, and can
adapt to almost any soil type you may have.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Dark green column with compact habit
10 — 20m x 2 — 5m
Full sun or part shade
CARE
Fertilise in spring with a slow release, water soluble fertiliser
USES
Avenue plantings, entranceways, screening, large container pots
SOIL TYPE
Prefers a well drained soil
Peppermint / Willow Myrtle
‘Agonis Flexuosa ‘After Dark’
Year round dark red foliage
A variety of Peppermint / Willow Myrtle with year
-round dark red foliage. The 'After Dark' variety
of this plant is a great red-foliage option for
temperate Australian gardens.
In combining the hardiness and versatility of the
Willow Myrtle with its attractive reddish-brown or
reddish-purple foliage, it can offer striking visual
contrast in garden and landscape design.
The 'After Dark' also flowers with pretty white
flowers and its root system makes it suitable for
growing in containers.
For a more bushy growth habit prune regularly.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Permanent dark red, red-brown foliage. Open growth habit
6 — 10m x 3 — 6m
Full sun
CARE
Prune to promote bushy growth
USES
Container, hedging or screening, feature plant
SOIL TYPE
Any well drained soil
Red Flowering Gum
‘Corymbia Ficifolia’
Evergreen tree with large clusters of scarlet to orange flowers
This is an evergreen tree which grows to around
10m tall. In late Spring or Summer large clusters
of scarlet to orange flowers appear, followed by
big, urn-shaped, woody fruit.
These trees will grow in most areas of Australia.
Red-flowering gums are 'second line salt
tolerant', in other words they do well in warm,
coastal situations a few kilometres inland from
the seafront.
With a well drained position and ample sun
Corymbia Ficifolia will form a dense well formed
crown and will flower prolifically.
Red flowering gum trees are available in grafted
and dwarf forms that make them a most
attractive small tree for the home garden.
New cultivars include Corymbia Summer Red,
Corymbia Summer Beauty, Corymbia Wildfire,
Corymbia Sunset and Corymbia Calypso
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Evergreen tree with scarlet to orange flowers
Various up to 10m in height, dwarf forms available
Full sun to part shade
CARE
Low water requirements once established
USES
Specimen tree for garden or parks
SOIL TYPE
Any well drained soil
Tuckeroo
‘Cupaniopsis Anarcardiodes’
Dark green leathery foliage forming a rounded crown
A medium native tree with a dense, widely
spreading crown bears greenish yellow flowers
in Spring followed by yellow/orange fleshy
berries contained in showy orange seed pods in
Summer.
Tuckeroo has dark green leathery foliage
forming a rounded crown. Its trunk colour can be
from brown to almost grey with slight buttresses
apparent in older specimens.
This very hardy QLD native is excellent in
difficult site plantings due to its ability to
withstand salt, wind exposure and poor sandy
soils.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Rounded form with single trunk and upright branching habit
8 — 12m x 8 — 10m
Full sun to part shade
CARE
May require formative pruning to ensure development of a single trunk
USES
Feature tree, small garden or formal garden
SOIL TYPE
Well drained sandy soil
White Cedar
‘Melia Azedarach’
Fragrant lilac flowers and yellow fruits
White Cedar is often planted as a shade tree
because of its dense leaf covering. The fragrant
lilac flowers and yellow fruits of the White Cedar
make it an appealing ornamental tree.
The plant prefers open sun and can do well in
partial shade too. It is hardy to most frosts and
can withstand extended dry periods. It can also
adapt to a wide range of soil conditions.
White Cedar flowers during Autumn and fruits
are produced thereafter, usually from March to
August. Proper pruning and pollarding is
necessary to produce well-formed trunk and
branch structure.
An important fact to remember when planting a
White Cedar is that it does have an invasive root
system and is prone to suckering.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Deciduous tree
7 — 12m height
Full sun to part shade
CARE
Will require formative pruning
USES
Feature tree suited to large gardens
SOIL TYPE
Adaptable to a range of soil types
Yakka / Mount Lofty Grass Tree
‘Xanthorrhoea Quandrangulata’
Slow growing tree with spectacular woody flower spikes
The Mt Lofty Grass Tree forms a trunk which
grows up to 2 metres in height. The leaves of
the grass tree can grow up to 1 metre long.
They look wonderful growing in a rockery or
native garden and will also look great in a large
pot as an impressive feature plant.
The grass tree is a slow growing plant and is
usually very hardy and long lived.
The Grass Tree will require a well drained
position and a sunny aspect. The tall woody
flower spikes are a spectacular feature, but can
take many years to flower.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Tufted Grass Tree
2m
Full sun
CARE
Remove fallen debris from base of tree
USES
Feature plant, rockery or native themed garden
SOIL TYPE
Well drained
Red Flowered Mallee
‘Eucalyptus Erythronema’
Multi or single trunks, winter flowering
A highly ornamental small, evergreen, rounded
tree to 6m high and 3m wide in multi or single
trunks that are usually low branching. Prune to
shape while young.
Trunk and branches are covered in a smooth
white bark with a seasonal salmon tinge. Showy
clusters of flowers are produced in Winter.
Flowers may be white, cream, pink or deep red.
Red is the most commonly available colour in
cultivated forms.
May be hard pruned if necessary.
DESCRIPTION
HEIGHT & WIDTH
POSITION
Evergreen with smooth white bark
6m x 3m2m
Full sun
CARE
Formatively prune when young
USES
Feature plant, rockery or native themed garden
SOIL TYPE
Adaptable to a wide range of soils