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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 2
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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 3
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).
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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.
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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.
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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.
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 9
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)
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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)
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 11
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.
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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)
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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.
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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.
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 16
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]
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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
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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
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Blackwood Acacia melanoxylon
The meaning of the plant’s name
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
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Box-leaf Wattle Acacia buxifolia
The meaning of the plant’s name
Acacia = from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was
discovered was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy
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.
Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for
butterflies, moths and many
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
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Cat’s Claw Grevillea Grevillea alpina
The meaning of the plant’s name
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.
Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for
butterflies, moths and many
other native insects including
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
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Gold dust Wattle Acacia acinacea
The meaning of the plant’s name
Acacia - from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was
discovered was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy
acinacea - meaning curved or sword like
Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for
butterflies, moths and many
other native insects
• Insect eating birds like Rufous
Fantails eat the insects that
come to feed
• The seed provides food for birds
like parrots and native pigeons
• Wattles are important for
keeping the soil healthy (nitrogen
fixing)
Where it grows and what it likes • Loves well drained sites but will
tolerate heavy clay soils
• Will live in shallow soils
• 350+mm a year of rainfall
• Full or partial sun
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
• Its leaves are in fact not leaves they are phyllodes which are flattened stems
Gold dust, up close, from ANBG
Gold dust, whole plant, from Bockman, C
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Golden Wattle Acacia pycnantha
The meaning of the plant’s name
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
Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for butterflies, moths and many other native insects
• 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
• Wattles are important for keeping the soil healthy (nitrogen fixing)
• 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
• Full or partial sun
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
• Its leaves are in fact not leaves they are phyllodes which are flattened stems
Golden Wattle, whole plant, from ANBG
Golden Wattle, up close, from ANBG
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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
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Happy Wanderer/ Purple Coral-pea Hardenbergia violacea
The meaning of the plant’s name
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
Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for
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.
• The seed provides food for birds
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
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Hedge Wattle Acacia paradoxa
The meaning of the plant’s name
Acacia - from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was discovered
was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy
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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 26
Lightwood or Hickory Acacia implexa The meaning of the plant’s name
Acacia - from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was discovered
was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy
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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 27
Mountain Mirbelia Mirbelia oxylobioides
The meaning of the plant’s name
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.
Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for
butterflies, moths and many
other native insects including
bees and wasps
• Insect eating birds eat the
insects that come to feed
• The seed provides food for birds
and insects
Where it grows and what it likes • Loves most soils that are well drained
• 750mm+ a year of rainfall
• In the Indigo shire it lives in dry forests
• Loves semi or dappled shade
• Can tolerate some icy frosts
• 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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 28
Ovens Wattle Acacia pravissima
The meaning of the plant’s name
Acacia - from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was discovered
was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy
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
• 600+mm a year of rainfall
• Lives near streams or damp sheltered sites
• Does not like frost when it is a baby/young
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
• 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
• Wattles are important for keeping the soil healthy (nitrogen fixing)
• 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
• Its leaves are in fact not leaves they are phyllodes which are flattened stems
• 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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 29
Red-stem Wattle Acacia rubida
The meaning of the plant’s name
Acacia - from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was
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.
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 Little
Lorikeets and Crested Pigeons
• Grubs that live under the bark
provide food for birds like the
Jacky Winter
• Wattles are important for
keeping the soil healthy (nitrogen
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
• Its leaves are in fact not leaves they are phyllodes which are flattened stems
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
• Full or partial sun
Red-stem Wattle, up close, Brunskill, S Red-stem wattle, whole plant, fBrunskill, S
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 30
Silver Wattle Acacia dealbata
The meaning of the plant’s name
Acacia - from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was
discovered was in ancient Egypt and it was sharp and pointy
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
• 400-1500mm a year of rainfall
• 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
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 31
Varnish Wattle Acacia verniciflua
The meaning of the plant’s name
Acacia - from the Greek akakia, meaning to sharpen. The first Acacia that was
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
• 500-1200mm a year of rainfall
• Grows in valleys and on hillsides in
Indigo Shire
• Shallow sandy, gravely or rocky soils
Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for
butterflies, moths and many
other native insects
• Insect eating birds eat the
insects that come to feed
• The seed provides food for birds
like Red-rumped Parrots and
native pigeons
• Grubs that live under the bark
provide food for birds like the
Yellow Robin
• Wattles are important for
keeping the soil healthy (nitrogen
fixing)
• There fibrous roots work well to
hold the soil together
Varnish Wattle, whole plant, from Bockman, C
Varnish Wattle, up
close, from ANBG
Learning about Indigo’s Natives
Created by the National Environment Centre Riverina Institute of TAFE and Indigo Shire Council Page 32
Woolly Grevillea Grevillea lanigera
The meaning of the plant’s name
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.
Habitat and uses • Flowers provide food for butterflies, moths and many other native insects
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
• 600mm+ a year of rainfall
• It loves living in dry forests
• Loves semi or dappled shade
• Can tolerate some icy frosts
• 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