Melaleuca quinquenervia Family: Myrtaceae Origin: Australia, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea Broad-leaved paperbark, or niaouli, is a medium-sized, fast-growing tree native to Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and the eastern coast of Australia–from Botany Bay to Queensland and the Northern Territory. Paperbarks have also spread to the Everglades of Florida, where it is d … [Read more...]
Umbrella Tree
Schefflera actinophylla Family: Araliaceae Origin: Australia, New Guinea, and Java. Naturalised in South East Qld and other places. While this is an Australian native, the Umbrella tree or Schefflera actinophylla can end up being a nightmare in cultivation and in some applications. Knowing where to plant this beauty can help you avoid many of the common problems tha … [Read more...]
Lillypilly
Syzyigium australe Family: Myrtaceae Origin: Eastern Australia A very popular and native Australian tree, this wonderful (usually) tree is grown in lots of ways. It has been bred into many cultivars suitable for many uses in the garden. Lillypilly can have a lot of names and has been misnamed many times because of the range of cultivars it comes in. Names like Brush Cherry, … [Read more...]
Cadaghi
Corymbia torreliana Family: Myrtaceae Origin: Queensland, Australia Cadaghi are yet another example of an endemic tree that enjoys taking over civilized life. Especially invasive, this tree has been banned from cultivation in many parts of the world. Despite all of its positive characteristics that it’s evolved in the wild, these same characteristics make it a very ti … [Read more...]
Cabbage Tree Palm
Livistona australis Family: Arecaceae Origin: Eastern Australia One of the more characteristic looks of this palm that many might be familiar with is the constant shedding of dead fronds that hang low and brown from the crown. They usually need to be removed by an arborist, as the tree will retain these dead fronds. However, many people don’t mind and accept it as part of the … [Read more...]
Ivory Curl
Buckinghamia Celsissima Family: Proteaceae Origin: Rain forests from Mt Spec to Cooktown The Ivory Curl is a beautiful feature tree often seen in the backyards and found in undisturbed bushland in its native area. According to the Australian Native Plants Society, the tree is named after Richard Greenville, the Duke of Buckingham. As the tree is common enough in the wi … [Read more...]
Tulipwood
Harpullia pendula Family: Sapinsaceae Origin: Tropical and sub-tropical eastern Australia A popular garden and urban tree, Tulipwood is a beautiful, native, hardy, and well-behaved small tree that suits landscapes well. It’s commonly used along urban coastal roads, as its toughness helps it to thrive in salty areas along ocean shores and in the less than ideal air and so … [Read more...]
Alexander Palm or Alexandra Palm
Archontophoenix alexandrae Family: Aracacaea Origin: Native to Northern and Central Queensland, Australia A key feature of the Alexander Palm is its capacity to tolerate heavy inundation under heavy rain events. This survival quality has made the palm a dominant species in tropical Queensland. Favoured for its beautiful shaped and clean visual appearance compared … [Read more...]
Foxtail Palm
Wodyetia bifurcata Family: Arecaceae Origin: Endemic to Cape Melville, Northern Queensland Foxtail palms are now prolific not just in Brisbane but all over the world in tropical and sub-tropical climates. That's quite remarkable, considering they were unknown to the world just over thirty years ago. They were brought to botanists attention in 1978, growing in Cape Mel … [Read more...]
