Southwest Plants & Natives

Local plants are species that would naturally occur where you live so, in this case, they’ve adapted to suit local Southwest conditions. They’re also called ‘indigenous plants’.

Local Southwest plants have a huge range of benefits:

• Low maintenance
• Drought tolerant
• Require minimal watering = conserves our water supplies
• Don’t need fertilisers or pesticides
• Provide habitat, food and shelter for local fauna such as birds
  butterflies and small lizards
• Save your money and time
• Adaptable for various landscaping styles, producing striking results
• Native plants flower at different times of the year so you can have a
  flowering garden all year round

“Western Australia is renowned for its unique plants, algae and fungi, from the forests of our south-west to the vast meadows of seagrass offshore, and the boab trees of the Kimberley.

The south-west of Western Australia is one of the world’s 34 biodiversity ‘hotspots’, with some of the richest and most unique reservoirs of plant and animal life on earth.

There are about 13,000 species of plants in Western Australia, of which 3,000 are yet to be formally named.”

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions

Here’s a few Natives for you to consider…

Trees & tall shrubs

1. Coastal Wattle, Red-eye Wattle Acacia cyclops
2. Peppermint Agonis flexuosa (Peppy Tree)
3. Chenille Honey Myrtle, Melaleuca huegelii
4. Dungyn, Frog Hakea, Olive-leafed Hakea
5. Local Eucalypts – Hamelin Bay Mallee, Eucalyptus calcicola
6. Bull Banksia, Banksia grandis

Medium Shrubs

1. Lilac Hibiscus, Alyogyne huegelii
2. Coast Saltbush, Atriplex isatidea
3. Winged Boronia, Coast Boronia, Boronia alata
4. Southern Diplolaena, Diplolaena dampieri
5. Chorilaena, Chorilaena quercifolia

Ground covers, herbs & small shrubs

1. Tall Kangaroo Paw, Anigozanthos flavidus
2. Cushion Bush, Leucophyta brownii
3. Barrier Saltbush, Enchylaena tomentosa
4. Gooseberry-leaved Guinea Flower, Hibbertia
5. Coastal Pigface, Carpobrotus virescens

This link will take you to a longer list of local Western Australian & Southwest plants if you want it.

The Southwest boasts an awe-inspiring range of native plants with no room for boredom! They’ll flower at different times of the year so you shouldn’t be without colour pretty much all year round.

These will save you plenty of water and work as they’re made for the Southwest conditions.

A FEW TIPS FOR THE NATIVES…

• Loosen the soil to twice the length of your spade & twice as wide to allow the root system to spread.
• You shouldn’t need any soil improvement if the correct plants have been chosen, but it can be beneficial.
• Planting is best to be done in the cooler months of the year: Autumn, Winter or early Spring (make the most of the rainfall).
• Australian native plants benefit from regular pruning, especially tip-pruning. It increases the number of flowers and helps control pests and diseases
• Mulching your garden beds is very beneficial as it helps to conserve water by reducing evaporation
• Fertilising is not generally needed with our beloved natives.

So, why not consider revamping your garden/yard with a few natives around the place? No doubt, you’ll likely already have a Peppy or two nearby…

Don’t forget to get in touch if you need any advice!