Coastal Plants for
the Home Garden
Some of the plants along
the coasal dunes in in the Town of Cambridge are suitable for growing
in the home garden. Here are just a few . . .
Giant Flowered Guichenotia (Guichenotia macrantha)
A widespread and locally common plant of dunes in the City Beach area.
The species occurs in coastal areas north to Kalbarri and also in
the wheatbelt south to Hyden. Often found growing in more stable dune
areas with excellent specimens found in the Chipping Rd reserve and
in Bold Park in low heath along Challenger Drive. A compact shrub
from 0.2 to 1.5m high with taller forms often straggling. Decorative
pink-purple flowers are produced in pendulous clusters from May to
September making this a highly desirable species for winter-spring
colour in the garden. An attractive and easily grown species in the
home garden able to tolerate a wide range of free-draining soils.
Prefers full sun to part-shade and responds to light pruning for shape
after flowering. Makes a highly attractive pot subject, particularly
if underplanted with native ground covers such as annual Brachyscomes.
Propagation: Can be grown from tip cuttings taken
in late winter to spring. Plants are available from specialist nurseries
and propagators.
Parrot Bush (Dryandra sessilis)
A common and widespread species of the City Beach dune areas favouring
mature dunes, often over limestone. Abundant in the coastal limestone
outcrops in Bold Park (Oceanic Drive) and in taller heathland along
West Coast Highway. Widespread throughout the south west with a number
of forms recognised as subspecies. An erect 0.5-1.5m tall shrub with
spiny tipped leaves. The clusters of creamy white to pale yellow flowers
are produced in profusion from April to November. The plant favours
full sun and tolerates a wide range of free-draining soils. Can be
grown as an effective background plant and is capable of surviving
with limited watering. The plant is a rich nectar source for insects
and birds and is a reliable and easy plant to grow in the home garden.
Propagation: From seeds collected from small beak-like
capsules after flowering. Sow seeds in a free-draining seed mix in
winter and seedlings emerge in 3 to 4 weeks.
Plants are available from wildflower specialist nurseries.
False Boronia (Phyllanthus calycinus)
A very common and widespread small shrub to 0.5m on coastal dunes
and bushland throughout the south west from Shark Bay to Esperance.
In City Beach the species favours stable older dunes with established
heathland such as the Chipping Road reserve and Bold Park coastal
areas. The plant has distinctive soft grey-green leaves with axillary
clusters of flowers produced from June to January. The small flowers
are often pendulous and are reminiscent of boronia flowers, leading
to the common name of false boronia. The plant tolerates a wide variety
of free-draining soils and full sun to partial shade. Responds to
light pruning for shape and in the home garden adapts well to hedging
or pot cultivation. Suitable as a foreground plant or rockery species.
Propagation: Grow from cuttings taken in winter to
spring.
Plants are sometimes available from specialist wildflower nurseries.
Coastal emu bush or poverty bush (Eremophila glabra)
A small shrub to 30cm with distinctive silver grey leaves and striking
red to orange-yellow flowers. They form compact plants and flower
over extended periods often attracting nectar feeding birds to the
garden. This plant has been seen flowering in the spring along West
Coast Highway and Challenger Parade. The species is very widespread
and many forms occur along the coast and inland to the South Australian
border and to the southern edge of the Great Sandy Desert. A very
popular variant is the form from the Shark Bay region that is a semi-groundcover
plant with striking white leaves and yellow flowers. Coastal emu bush
is readily available from nurseries.
Yellow leschenaultia (Lechenaultia linarioides)
One of the showiest small shrubs in the coastal dunes, it grows to
30cm but often spreading to 50cm with gently arching stems and large
flowers that open creamy-green and age red, giving the plant an attractive
two-tone appearance. This species is a first cousin to one of the
most popular of Western Australian wildflowers, the wreath flower(L.
macrantha) that also ages its flowers from greenish-white to
red often in perfect concentric circles thus the common name wreath
flower. This plant has been seen in full bloom in summer
in the dunes at the intersection of The Boulevard and West Coast Highway,
on the western side of West Coast Highway near the intersection with
Rochdale Road. Yellow leschenaultia occurs from just south of Perth
to Shark Bay and is highly adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions.
Full sun is preferred and prune hard after flowering to ensure fresh
growth and abundant flowering. Available from native plant specialist
nurseries.
Cushion bush (Calocephalus brownii or Leucophyta brownii)
Not known for its somewhat insignificant yellow flower heads, the
cushion bush is one of the finest white foliage plants for the home
garden. Growing up to 35cm tall, this soft shrub produces an intricate
network of stems with small clasping leaves covered in a soft felt-like
material that gives the plant its distinctive white appearance. The
species is now popular as a landscaping plant both here and overseas
where the drought tolerance, reliable growth and compact habit make
it highly sought after. Though not common in the Cambridge dunes,
some large specimens can be found along the beach access paths leading
from Challenger Parade. Many different forms occur in this species
from Shark Bay to east of Esperance. One form from Tasmania (available
from nurseries as 'silver nugget') makes a particularly interesting
garden plant with intensely divaricating branchlets giving a dense,
neat rounded appearance, hence the common name of 'the vegetable sheep'.
Cushion bush needs full sun. Only tip prune since the plant will not
regrow if heavily pruned to old wood.
Cambridge Coastcare (Inc)
Copyright 2007. Disclaimer.
