Most Range residents will no doubt be quite happy to see the last of the rain. It has, however, encouraged a wonderful burst of leaf growth. Seasonal flowering is great but we enjoy foliage in all its colours and forms throughout the year. Leaves manufacture the nutrients on which plants and other life depend, both as living foliage and also once they drop and become litter and mulch. Dense foliage provides the backdrop to everything else and of course cover for the wildlife.
The term foliage plant tends to bring to mind cordylines, syngoniums and possibly ferns but the shapes and colours of all our local native plants are incredibly variable. Many have divided or compound leaves and these include the Davidson plums and tamarind species such as the large Diploglottis australis and medium size Diploglottis campbellii with its pinkish apricot coloured fruit. The aril surrounding the seeds is edible although sour. Lepiderema pulchella or Fine-leaved Tuckeroo is a particularly pretty small tree with wavy margins to its leaflets. This one is worth planting in any garden and can also be part of the revegetation program.
Red Kamala, Mallotus philippensis, is a relatively slow growing species but will develop a dense spreading canopy of simple deep green leaves. There is a good specimen in the picnic area at Kondalilla Falls National Park. Other trees and shrubs have rusty or silvery backs to the leaves, colourful flushes of new growth or provide year round colour contrast. Gossia ‘Blushing Beauty’ is one of the best of these.
BARUNG NATIVE PLANT NURSERY
Nursery opening times: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – 9am -3pm
Phone 5494 3151
Riverside Centre office hours: 9am-4pm. Next to Maleny Post Office, Riverside Centre
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