Learning About Indigo's Natives

Learning About

Indigo’s Natives

A Guide to the Plants

Donated by Indigo Shire Council

Prepared by Marc Dinter

and Sue Brunskill

National Environment Centre

Riverina Institute of TAFE, Thurgoona

Learning about Indigo’s Natives

Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 1

Contents

Introduction for teachers Page 2

About plants Page 3-4

Making sense of botanical names Page 5

Why Wattles? Page 6

Microscope into the Eucalyptus world Page 7

Plant Names Activity Sheet Page 8

Plants, Insects and Birds Activity Sheet Page 9-10

Parts of Plants Activity Sheet Page 11-12

Leaf Shapes Activity Sheet Page 13

Useful references Page 14

Bibliography Page 15

Plant Description Sheets:

Austral Indigo Page 17

Blackwood Page 18

Box Leaf Wattle Page 19

Cats Claw Grevillea Page 20

Gold Dust Wattle Page 21

Golden Wattle Page 22

Hairy Bursaria Page 23

Happy Wanderer/ Purple Coral-pea Page 24

Hedge Wattle Page 25

Lightwood Page 26

Mountain Mirbelia Page 27

Ovens Wattle Page 28

Red Stem Wattle Page 29

Silver Wattle Page 30

Varnish Wattle Page 31

Woolly Grevillea Page 32



Introduction For Teachers

The package “Learning about Indigo’s Natives” started out just

being an explanation of plant species but ended up being more. It is

designed to be a teaching aid to help children learn more about

their natural surroundings by developing greater understanding of

local plants.

Children have a natural interest in their surroundings. This can be

channelled into activities that will enable them to explore the

natural environment in more detail and ultimately gain an

understanding of their environment.

As a part of Arbor Week or National Tree Day Indigo Shire Council

donates indigenous seedlings to each school in the Shire. The

seedlings donated come from the catchment the school is located

within. The following package focuses on activities and information

to help the students learn about why the seedlings are important.

This kit contains the following sections

o Introduction

o Making sense of botanical names

o Plant descriptions

o Activity sheets

o Bibliography

This package was developed and prepared by Marc Dinter, Diploma

Student, Conservation and Land Management, at the National

Environment Centre (NEC), Riverina Institute of TAFE, Thurgoona

NSW, and Sue Brunskill, (teacher at the NEC) in 2004 for the

Indigo Shire Council and schools within the shire.

Photo front cover: Sue Brunskill



About plants

Plants are the homes and supermarkets for many birds and

animals.

Just as “oils ain’t oils” as the ad on TV says, “plants ain’t

plants.” If you are a nectar-eating bird then you need plants

that give you nectar. Just like us, they need food all year, so

nectar eating birds need nectar all year. Luckily many of the

nectar eating birds also eat insects. But, if we have killed all

the insects by using sprays, then the deli for the insect eating

birds is closed. So if we want lots of birds and animals we

have to have plants that supply nectar and plants that feed

insects.

This kit looks at our local plants – they grow in other places

too but they can be found in the bush around here when you go

for a bushwalk. If you get to know the plants mentioned in

this kit, then when you go into the bush its like meeting old

friends – you will recognise them.

These local plants feed and shelter the local birds and animals.

Without suitable plants many of our local birds and animals

can’t stay in the area. If this happens in too many places then

birds and animals can become rarer, then endangered or even

extinct (no more anywhere in the world).



Plants are also very important for giving us protection from

the wind and sun, holding the soil together with their roots to

stop erosion and dropping leaf litter which helps make healthy

soils.

Plants are fun – we can play in them, use them to make art and

craft work, sit under them to relax, and watch the birds and

animals that use them.



Making Sense of Botanical Names Plants have names just like people do. They have two types of names

• A proper ( botanical or scientific ) name with a first and second

name; and

• A common name like a nickname that people may call you.

For example:

Proper name ( botanical or scientific )

Eucalyptus melliodora First name Eucalyptus (this is called the genus ) Second name melliodora (this is called the species )

The two are put together to give a plant its unique name that is used

the world over. Botanical names are written in italics or underlined. You will notice that the first name (genus) has a capital letter and the

second name (species) has a small first letter.

Eg. Eucalyptus melliodora Eucalyptus meaning a well-covered seed pod (the woody “gum nuts”) melliodora meaning that it smells like honey (mellio meaning honey, odora meaning smell or odour).

Common name (nickname)

Yellow Box because it has “box” type bark (rough) and the wood is

yellowish. Common names are not written in italics.

Botanical names or scientific names can describe a feature of a plant,

or they may be named after a person. They use Latin words. Latin is a

language that is no longer spoken so it does not change over time, unlike

languages that are still being used.



Why Wattles?

You may have noticed that most of the donated plants are wattles. In many local

areas it has been the smaller growing plants that have been removed from the

environment. By your school planting these smaller growing plants, especially

wattles you are helping the local environment.

What is a Wattle?

Wattles or Acacias (their botanical name) have yellow fluffy flowers. There are

more than 750 different wattles in Australia and it is possible to have a

different wattle flowering at all times of the year.

Many wattles like the Varnish Wattle have special “leaves” called phyllodes.

They are really flattened leaf stalks, but they do the job of leaves - that is

they make food. Botanists think the flattened leaf stalks are to save water,

because there are less breathing holes (called stomata) in stalks than leaves, and

so they don’t let out as much water. True leaves on wattles are feathery.

Silver Wattle has true leaves.

Wattle with

true leaves

Wattle with

phylloddes



Microscope into the Eucalyptus world Many of your local native trees are Eucalyptus trees. Many things

depend on Eucalyptus trees for survival including the following:

NO 2 LERPS

NO 4 APHIDS

NO 3 MISTLETOE

Caterpillars take bites out of leaves

with no regard for leaf shape.

Birds love caterpillars and they provide

valuable food for many types of birds

Psyllids (sap sucking insects) suck the sap

out of leaves and build white round homes

called lerps.

The lerps provide food for birds like

Pardalotes and aboriginal people use to eat

the sweet tasting lerps as lollies.

Aphids suck the sap out of leaves

and cluster on young shoots without

a permit. Ants eat the honeydew

that aphids make. Mistletoe often is mistaken as impersonating a

Eucalypt and they feed off Eucalypts in secret.

Many birds eat the nectar from the mistletoe

flowers, and birds and possums make nests in the

bunches of leaves

NO 1 CATERPILLARS



Plant Names Activity Sheet

Question 1. What are the rules for writing botanical names?

Activity. Find some plants in the school and make up some

botanical names for them. You may like to call it after yourself

eg Eucalyptus clarkii, if your name is Clark. You may make the

name describe some feature for example Banksia dragonflyii, if

the seed pods and leaves grow to look like a Dragon Fly. Hints

add “ii” or “us” at the end of the word.



Plants, Insects and Birds Activity Sheet

Question 1. What attracts butterflies to a plant? What plants

attract the most butterflies?

Question 2. A bird’s beak is shaped to the type of food it eats.

Can you name 3 birds that need plants for their food?

SHAPE TYPE ADAPTATION

Cracker

Seedeaters like finches and sparrows have

short, thick cone shaped beaks for cracking

seed.

Shredder Birds of prey like hawks and owls have sharp,

curved beaks for tearing meat.

Chisel Crested shrike-tit has a beak that is chisel-like

for peeling the bark off trees to eat insects.

Probe Honeyeaters beaks are long and slender for

probing flowers for nectar.

Strainer Some ducks have long, flat bills that strain

small plants and animals from the water.

Spear Birds like herons and kingfishers have spear-

like beaks adapted for fishing.

Tweezers Insect eaters like Blue Wrens have thin,

pointed beaks.

Swiss

Army

Knife

Crows have a multi-purpose beaks that allows

them to eat fruit, seeds, insects, fish, and

other animals

(www.normanbirdsanctuary.org)



Question 3. Plants also offer protection and shelter to smaller

birds. Can you name a plant that little birds like to nest in?

Why?

Extension Activity. Design a part of your playground as good

bird habitat (where something likes to live). Remember what

they need – something to eat and drink, somewhere to nest, and

somewhere to hide from the larger birds.

o Insect Eating Birds need plants that attract insects

(Insectivores)

o Nectar Eating Birds need plants with flowers full of nectar

(nectarivores)

o Some birds eat both insects and nectar. (omnivores)



Parts of Plants Activity Sheet

Activity 1. What plants have yellow fluffy flowers? How many

different types can you find? What animals like using these?

Activity 2. What is a phyllode? (The wattle sheet no page 6 may

help). See if you can find some phyllodes.

Activity 3. Go out into the school grounds and see how many

different shaped leaves you can find. Collect them, and dry

them in between old newspaper for a week or so. You can stick

them on a sheet of paper, make a picture, greeting cards or any

other craft ideas you can think of.

Activity 4. How many different coloured leaves can you find?

Activity 5. Find the biggest leaf that you can and trace around

or draw it.



Activity 6. Fruits are the part of the plant that holds the seed

(they don’t have to be nice for us to eat). Start a fruit

collection – it could include “gum nuts”, Banksia cones, wattle

pods.

Wattle Bottlebrush

Eucalypt Banksia



Activity 7. Some leaves have bites taken out or bumpy bits on

the surface– see if you can find some and work out what caused

them. Small white shells are lerps. What produces these lerps?

(The “Microscope into the Eucalyptus” sheet on page 7 may help)



Leaf Shapes Activity Sheet

Leaves have many different shapes. The shape of the leaf can

help you work out the name of the plant.

Activity 1. Go out into the school grounds and find leaves

that best fit these shapes.



Useful References Web sites

• Sustainable Gardening Australia has a good email

newletter http://www.sgaonline.org.au/splashpg.html

• Gould league has information, books and posters to buy,

games. http://www.gould.edu.au/

• Australian National Botanic Gardens Canberra

http://www.anbg.gov.au/anbg/

• Charles Sturt University Herbarium –based in Thurgoona

http://www.csu.edu.au/herbarium/?

• Sydney Botanic Gardens http://www.rbgsyd.gov.au/

There are many more useful web sites you can find using

“search”.

Books • Flying Colours, Pat and Mike Coupar

• Attracting Butterflies to your garden Densey Clyne Read

New Holland, 2000

• The Australian bird-garden. Creating havens for native birds, G Pizzey, Angus & Robertson 2000

• The Slater field guide to Australian Birds, Peter

Slater,Landsdowne Publishing P/L

• Attracting Frogs to your garden, Kevin Casey • Ecology, Steve Pollock, Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness

Guides 1993 • Gould League (see web site above) has some excellent

books and posters that are reasonably priced and suited

to school use.



People For further information please contact

Shay Simpson Sue Brunskill

Indigo Shire Council National Environment Centre

NRM Officer Ettamogah Rd, Thurgoona

PO Box 75 PO Box 827, Albury, 2640

Yackandandah 3749 Ph (02) 6043 6700

Ph (02) 6028 1100 [email protected]

[email protected]

Bibliography o Bockman, C, Meanings Behind the Names o Brunskill, S, Editing o Costermans,L 1981, Native Trees and Shrubs of South

Eastern Australia o Stelling,F, 1994, Revegetation Guide for Ovens Basin:

Mid & Lower Sections o Perrin,D, 1990, Dictionary of Botanical Names Australian

Plant Names o Natural Resources Conservation League, Arbor Week 1989 o DNRE, 1999, Victoria’s Biodiversity Education Resource

Book 1+2 o ANBG, Australian National Botanic Gardens,

www.anbg.gov.au o Labyrinth, www.labyrinth.net.au o El Nativo Growers Inc, www.elnativogrowers.com o Wonga Wetlands, www.wongawetlands.nsw.gov.au o Norman bird Sanctuary, www.normanbirdsanctuary.org



Austral Indigo Indigofera australis

The meaning of the plant’s name

Indigofera - the word indigofera comes from a plant that was used for a blue vat dye in

ancient Greek times

australis is a Latin word for southern and does not refer specifically to Australia.

The Indigo Shire was named after the Indigo Creek and the

beautiful Austral Indigo, which is commonly found in the area.

Where it grows and what it likes • Acidic soils that are well drained

• 550-1200mm+ a year of rainfall

• In the bush it lives in dry Eucalypt

forests in semi or dappled shade

• Can tolerate some icy frosts

• It deals with extended wet periods

• Drought tolerant

Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for

butterflies, moths and many

other native insects including

bees and wasps

• Insect-eating birds like Willie

Wagtails and Regent

Honeyeaters eat the insects

that come to feed

• The seed provides food for

birds and insects

• Nectar eating birds eat the

nectar from the flowers

Plant Features • The Austral Indigo is a open shrub

with long slender stems

• It has small pink-lilac flowers in

bunches,

• Flowers from August to December,

• Has a lot of green leaves that are

set out opposing like fish bones

Indigofera, up close, from Costermans

Indigofera, Whole Plant, From Along the Bush Tracks



Blackwood Acacia melanoxylon


Acacia - from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was

discovered was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy

melanoxylon - comes from two words the Greek melanos meaning black, and xylon

meaning wood. Therefore melanos-xylon means it has dark wood.

Where it grows and what it likes • 600+ mm a year of rainfall

• It grows everywhere from the plains to

mountain tops

• This tree can handle a lot of wind

• Blackwood will grow very well in open

sites but it doesn’t like frosty mornings

when it is small

• Blackwoods love moist fertile soil

but will grow in soil that is well drained

• This tree can live for a very long time

Plant Features • The Blackwood is a tree that grows

from 6-30m tall

• It has pale cream round flowers

from August to October

• with long green sickle shaped leaves

• Its leaves are in fact not leaves -

they are phyllodes which are

flattened stems doing the job of

leaves

• Seed pods are twisty and curly

• The wood is used for furniture

Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for butterflies, moths and many other native insects

• Insect eating birds like Willie Wagtails eat the insects that come to feed on the wattle

• Birds of prey like the Brown Falcon love to sit on top of the tree and look for things to eat

• The gum produced by the Blackwood feeds Sugar Gliders and Squirrel Gliders

• The seed provides food for birds like parrots and native pigeons

• Grubs that live under the bark provide food for birds like the Black Faced Cuckoo-shrike

• Wattles are important for keeping the soil healthy (nitrogen fixing)

• When it grows up it provides excellent nesting and roosting sites

• There are big cracks in the bark which spiders and insects love to live in

Blackwood, up close, from Marc Dinter

Blackwood, Whole Plant, from M.D



Box-leaf Wattle Acacia buxifolia


Acacia = from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was


buxifolia = comes from two words. Buxus the botanical name of the plant that is used for

Box hedges, and the Latin word folium meaning leaf. It refers to the leaves that are similar

to those of plant that is used for Box hedges.



other native insects

• Insect eating birds like Scrub-

wrens eat the insects that come

to feed on the plant

• The seed provides food for birds

like parrots and native pigeons

• Wattles are important for

keeping the soil healthy (nitrogen

fixing)

• They have fibrous roots that

hold the soil together

Where it grows and what it likes • Likes well drained granitic rocky

sites but grows in various situations

• 350+mm a year of rainfall

• It loves sloping hilly areas

• It likes to be protected from bad

weather and to live among other

plants

• Full or partial sun

• Tolerates frost and dry weather

Plant Features • The Box-leaf wattle is a spreading shrub that grows to 3m tall

• It has lots of small deep gold-coloured round fluffy flowers

• Flowers from August to October

• It has dense blue grey leaves

• Its leaves are in fact not leaves they are phyllodes which are flattened stems

Box-leaf, up close, from ANBG

Box-leaf, Whole Plant, Brunskill,S



Cat’s Claw Grevillea Grevillea alpina


Grevillea - was named after C.F. Greville (1749-1809). He was one of the founders of

the London Horticultural Society.

alpina - comes from a Latin word alpinus meaning alpine. This is because it was first

thought that it only grew in alpine areas.




bees and wasps

• Insect eating birds like Blue

Wrens and Regent Honeyeaters

eat the insects that come to

feed on the plant

• Reptiles like to live in and

around the Cat’s claw Grevillea

• The flowers are a favourite of

nectar eating birds like the

Eastern Spinebill

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves stony or sandy soils that are well drained

• 600mm+ a year of rainfall

• In the bush it lives in dry forests in

semi or dappled shade

• Can tolerate some icy frosts when it grows up

• It can handle a windy spot

• The Cat’s claw Grevillea can go along time without

a drink

Plant Features • The Cat’s claw Grevillea has heaps of small

bright red and yellow flowers

• It flowers from July to December

• It has a of small grey-green leaves that are

furry

• The Cat’s claw Grevillea is a small shrub that

grows 0.5 to 2m tall

• It has leaves shaped like a cats claw

Cat’s Claw, up close, From ANBG

Cat’s Claw, Whole plant, from ANBG



Gold dust Wattle Acacia acinacea




acinacea - meaning curved or sword like




• Insect eating birds like Rufous

Fantails eat the insects that

come to feed


like parrots and native pigeons



fixing)

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves well drained sites but will

tolerate heavy clay soils

• Will live in shallow soils



Plant Features • The Gold dust wattle is a spreading shrub that grows from 1 to 2m tall

• It has lots of small yellow round fluffy flowers

• That flower from July to November

• It has small green leaves


Gold dust, up close, from ANBG

Gold dust, whole plant, from Bockman, C



Golden Wattle Acacia pycnantha


Acacia -from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was discovered

was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy

pycnantha - comes from a Greek word anthos meaning a thick, dense flowering

arrangement.

Golden Wattle is the floral emblem of Australia


• Insect eating birds like White throated Needle-tails eat the insects that come to

feed on the plant

• Small nectar- eating birds feed from glands at the base of the foliage

• The gum produced by the Golden Wattle feeds Sugar Gliders and Squirrel Gliders

• The seed provides food for birds like parrots and native pigeons

• Grubs that live under the bark provide food for birds like the Crested shrike-tit


• When it grows up it provides good nesting habitat especially for the endangered

Grey-crowned Babbler

Where it grows and what it likes • Love well drained sites

• 280-750mm a year of rainfall

• It lives in a wide range of sites

• It tolerates heavy soils but it loves stony soils


Plant Features • The Golden Wattle is a shrub that grows very quickly to 5m tall

• It has small rich yellow round fluffy flowers

• from August to October

• It has medium sized, sometimes twisty green leaves


Golden Wattle, whole plant, from ANBG

Golden Wattle, up close, from ANBG



Hairy Bursaria Bursaria lasiophylla

The meaning of the plants name

Bursaria - from the Latin word bursa-meaning purse, this refers to the seedpods that

are like little purses.

lasiophylla - is made up from two words. The Greek word lasios, which means woolly,

and phyllon, that means leaf, referring to the woolly undersides of the leaves.

Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for butterflies,

moths and many other native insects

including bees and a wasp that

parasitises pasture grubs (so it is a

farmer’s friend)

• Insect eating birds like Grey fan-

tails and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters

eat the insects that come to feed on

the plant • The seed provides food for birds and

insects • The Hairy Bursaria is a favourite

food for Spit-fire Grubs

• Little birds love to hide in between

the Hairy Bursaria’s branches from

bullies like the Noisy-miner and the

Currawong

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves most soils that are well drained.

• 500mm+ a year of rainfal.l

• It lives in dry forests in Indigo Shire.

• Loves semi or dappled shade.

• Can tolerate some icy frosts when it

grows up.

• It can handle a windy spot.

Plant Features • The Hairy Bursaria has small cream-white

flowers

• It flowers from October to May

• It has a of small green leaves that are furry on

the bottom

• The Hairy Bursaria is a shrub to small tree that

grows 3 to 8m tall

• It has seed pods that look like little purses

• The Hairy Bursaria flowers in Summer when

most other plants are not flowering, therefore

providing food in a “lean” time.

Hairy Bursaria, up close, from ANBG

Hairy Bursaria, whole plant, from ANBG



Happy Wanderer/ Purple Coral-pea Hardenbergia violacea


Hardenbergia - is named after a Countess. Franziska von Hardenberg, the sister of a

famous plant collector Baron von Hugel. Franziska had a lot of money and she looked after

Hugel’s plant collection when he travelled the world in search of new plant specimens.

violacea - from the Latin word violaceu, meaning violet;

refering to the purple flowers


butterflies, moths and many other

native insects.

• Insect eating birds like Willie

Wagtails and Golden Whistlers eat

the insects that come to feed on

the plant.


and insects.

• Its entangled branches provide a

place for little birds to hide away

from bully’s like Noisy miners and

Currawongs. • Reptiles love to hide and sleep

under it.

• Honey/nectar eating birds eat

the nectar from the flowers

• Small birds will nest in it.

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves most soil types.

• 600mm+ a year of rainfall.

• Lives everywhere from the seaside to the

mountaintops.

• Loves full sun and can tolerate some icy

frosts.

Plant Features • The Purple Coral-pea has small purple pea-

shaped flowers.

• It flowers from July to November.

• It has a mass of green leaves.

• The Purple Coral-pea is a bushy scrambler

and will climb up things.

Happy Wanderer, up close, from Along the Bush Tracks



Hedge Wattle Acacia paradoxa


Acacia - from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was discovered


paradoxa - comes from a Latin word paradoxus meaning different to the usual type. Even

though the first wattle was sharp, most are not so. The hedge wattle is different to the

usual

Where it grows and what it likes • 450-1200mm a year of rainfall.

• It loves a wide range of sites in open forests.

• Prefers dry shallow sites but will tolerate heavy soils in low rainfall areas.

• Does not like frost when it is a baby.

• Full or partial sun.

Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for butterflies, moths and many other native insects.

• Insect eating birds eat the insects that come to feed on the plant.

• The seed provides food for birds like parrots and native pigeons.

• Little birds can hide away inside the plant from bullies.

• Wattles are important for keeping the soil healthy (nitrogen fixing).

• It provides the best nesting spots for little birds because bullying birds like Noisy Miners,

Goshawks and cats can not get in because of all the prickles

Plant Features • The Hedge Wattle is a shrub that grows to 4m tall

• It has small deep gold coloured round fluffy flowers and

• Flowers from August to November

• It has small dark green leaves and lots of prickles

• The leaves are in fact not leaves they are phyllodes which are flattened stems

Hedge Wattle, up close, from Labyrinth

Hedge Wattle, whole plant, from Dinter, M



Lightwood or Hickory Acacia implexa The meaning of the plant’s name



implexa - refers to the entangled and twisted seed pods

Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for butterflies, moths and many other native insects.

• Insect eating birds like Willie Wagtails eat the insects that come to feed on the plant.

• The half ripe seed pods are a favourite food of the King Parrot.

• The gum produced by the Lightwood feeds Sugar Gliders and Squirrel Gliders.

• The seed provides food for birds like parrots and native pigeons.

• Grubs that live under the bark provide food for birds like the Black Faced Cuckoo-shrike.

• Wattles are important for keeping the soil healthy (nitrogen fixing).

• When it grows up it provides excellent nesting and roosting habitat.

• Wasps love the Lightwood because they use it like a nursery for their babies.

Plant Features • The Lightwood is a small tree that

grows from 4 to 15m tall.

• The Lightwood has fluffy yellow

round flowers.

• It flowers from December to March.

• It has green sickle shaped leaves.

• Its leaves are in fact not leaves they

are phyllodes which are flattened

stems doing the job of leaves.

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves soil that is well drained.

• 500-1300mm a year of rainfall.

• It likes to grow in hilly areas.

• This tree can handle a lot of wind.

• Lightwood will grow very well in open

sites.

• Lightwoods love shallow stony soil

• This tree can live for a very long

time.

• Lightwood can handle getting hot

in a bushfire.

Lightwood, up close, from Dinter, M

Lightwood, whole plant,

from Labyrinth



Mountain Mirbelia Mirbelia oxylobioides


Mirbelia - is named after Charles Francois Brisseau de Mirbel a botanist from France

(1776-1854)

oxylobioides - comes from three Greek Words. oxys meaning sharp, lobos meaning pod

and oides meaning like, meaning its resemblance to another similar plant that has hard seed

pods.




bees and wasps

• Insect eating birds eat the

insects that come to feed


and insects

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves most soils that are well drained


• In the Indigo shire it lives in dry forests

• Loves semi or dappled shade


• It likes hillsides or slopes but it also

grows near streams

• The Mountain Mirbelia can survive

drought

Plant Features • The Mountain Mirbelia has heaps of small orange and red pea-shaped flowers

• It flowers from October to January

• The Mountain Mirbelia is a open wiry shrub

• It grows up-to 3m tall

• It has small pointy green leaves

Mirbelia, whole plant, Brunskill, S



Ovens Wattle Acacia pravissima




pravissima - means irregular or crooked. This is because of the way it grows

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves light to medium often stony soils


• Lives near streams or damp sheltered sites

• Does not like frost when it is a baby/young


• Insect eating birds eat the insects that come to feed on the plant

• Small nectar eating birds feed from nectar glands at the base of the foliage

• The seed provides food for birds like Swift Parrots and Wonga pigeons


• It provides the best nesting spots for little birds because big bully birds like Noisy Miners can

not get in because the leaves are dense and a bit prickly.

Plant Features • The Ovens Wattle is a dense shrub that grows to 8m tall

• It has small yellow coloured fluffy round flowers

• Flowers from September to November

• It has small green pointy triangular shaped leaves that are an attractive blue-green in colour


• It is a fast grower

• Its fibrous roots hold the soil together well especially along stream banks so is good for stream

bank erosion control

Ovens Wattle, up close, from Dinter, M

Ovens Wattle, whole

plant, from ANBG



Red-stem Wattle Acacia rubida



discovered was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy.

rubida - comes from the Latin word ruber meaning red. The stems on the Red-stem

Wattle are red.





insects that come to feed on the

plant

• The seed provides food for Little

Lorikeets and Crested Pigeons

• Grubs that live under the bark

provide food for birds like the

Jacky Winter



fixing)

• Provides a place for small birds

to hide away from bullies like the

Goshawk and the Currawong

Plant Features • The Red-stem Wattle is a shrub to small tree that grows from 2 to 7m tall

• It has lots of small bright yellow fluffy round flowers

• It flowers from August to October

• It has dull green sickle-shaped leaves


Where it grows and what it likes • Very strong and fast growing

• 650mm a year of rainfall

• It loves dry soils but it will

tolerate wet feet for short periods

• Will tolerate shallow soils


Red-stem Wattle, up close, Brunskill, S Red-stem wattle, whole plant, fBrunskill, S



Silver Wattle Acacia dealbata




dealbata - refers to the white under-surface of the leaves

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves soil that is moist for part of

the year but does tolerate dry

conditions


• It will grow in most areas

• Tolerates most soils including clay if

drainage is good

• Does not like having its feet wet all

the time

• This tree can handle a lot of wind

• It is a very fast grower

Plant Features • The Silver Wattle is a small to

medium tree that grows from 5 to

30m tall

• The Silver Wattle has masses of

small fluffy bright yellow round

flowers

• It flowers from July to October

• It has large feathery grey-green

leaves

• This wattle never gets phyllodes but

keeps its true leaves for all its life.

Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for butterflies,

moths and many other native insects

• Insect eating birds like Fairy Wrens eat

the insects that come to feed

• Small nectar eating birds like the Noisy

Friarbird feed from glands at the base of

the foliage

• The gum produced by the Silver Wattle

feeds Sugar Gliders and Squirrel Gliders

especially over winter

• The seed provides food for birds like

parrots and native pigeons

• Grubs that live under the bark provide

food for birds like the Golden Whistler

• Wattles are important for keeping the soil

healthy (nitrogen fixing)

• When it grows up it provides good nesting

habitat

• The timber is used for firewood and some

furniture/woodturning

Silver Wattle, up close, from ANBG Silver Wattle, whole plant, from Wonga Wetlands



Varnish Wattle Acacia verniciflua



discovered was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy.

verniciflua - meaning the leaves (phyllodes) appear to be varnished.

Plant Features • The varnish wattle is a bushy shrub

that grows from 1 to 4m tall

• It has small yellow round flowers

from July to November

• It has shiny green leaves that look

like they have been sprayed with

varnish

• Its leaves are in fact not leaves they

are phyllodes which are flattened

stems

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves well drained sites


• Grows in valleys and on hillsides in

Indigo Shire

• Shallow sandy, gravely or rocky soils





insects that come to feed


like Red-rumped Parrots and

native pigeons

• Grubs that live under the bark

provide food for birds like the

Yellow Robin



fixing)

• There fibrous roots work well to

hold the soil together

Varnish Wattle, whole plant, from Bockman, C

Varnish Wattle, up

close, from ANBG



Woolly Grevillea Grevillea lanigera


Grevillea - was named after C.F. Greville (1749-1809). He was one of the founders of

the London Horticultural Society.

lanigera- comes from two Latin words lana meaning wool and gerus meaning bearing. This

refers to the woolly hairs on the leaves.


including bees and wasps

• Insect eating birds eat the insects that come to feed on the plant

• Reptiles like to live in and around the Woolly Grevillea

• The flowers are a favourite of nectar eating birds like the Eastern Spinebill

• It is a good place for little birds like Fairy-wrens to hide from bullies like Hawks

and Falcons.

Where it grows and what it likes • Loves stony or sandy soils that are well

drained


• It loves living in dry forests

• Loves semi or dappled shade


• It can handle a windy spot

• The Woolly Grevillea can go along time

without a drink

Plant Features • The Woolly Grevillea is a small shrub

• It has heaps of small bright red, pink

and cream flowers

• that flower from August to

December

• It has a lot of small grey-green

leaves that are very furry

• The Woolly Grevillea grows 1 to 2m

tall

Woolly Grevillea, up close, from elenantivogrowers Woolly Grevillea, whole plant, from Elenativogrowers

Documents

Learning About Indigo's Natives